The fields of health and pharmacy require special requirements in terms of hygiene and quality. Whether dry and solid products or liquid and pasty products, pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging must meet many standards.
Why such high standards?
Regulatory constraints are strong in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry. Many requirements are issued by health authorities in France and internationally. Product packaging is no exception: packaging for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products must meet strict and complex standards.
The preservation of the integrity of product formulations is obviously a major point: the properties of a drug or cosmetic product must never be degraded, either during their packaging or by their container.
Packaging also has informative issues. For pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, it is essential to have complete and clear information on content and traceability. This allows the consumer to make informed decisions.
These standards are intended to protect and inform the consumer.
Issue n°1: maintaining the integrity of products
There must be no chemical interaction between the container and the contents to ensure that the formulation remains stable during packaging, storage and use of the products. Thus, the packaging must be completely impermeable to the elements of the product and therefore not allow any migration of material from the container to the contents, but also from the contents to the container.
The consequences of this type of interaction could indeed be relatively serious, from changing the appearance of the product to its ineffectiveness and the risk of allergies or intolerances.
Pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging also protects products from changes due to external agents, external environmental conditions (light and air, in particular) and movement.
Primary packaging and secondary packaging
Packaging for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products is generally composed of primary packaging and secondary packaging that must meet the requirements of health authorities in France and internationally.
The primary packaging is intended to protect the product. It is the one that contains the drug itself and is in direct contact with the product. By adhering to strict industry standards, it prevents drugs or cosmetics from being damaged.
At Bernhardt, we attach great importance to the traceability of packaging. Our films are approved “European Pharmacopoeia” and “United States Pharmacopeia”. Bernhardt packaging therefore complies with processes regulated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Secondary packaging makes it possible to package several elements together and to give information to the user. This is often the packaging that clearly identifies the drug or product. It facilitates transport and storage.
Would you like more information on the packaging and packaging of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products? Contact us!