Established in 1971, LOG Pharma Packaging is a pioneer in packaging innovations and the trusted partner of global pharma companies, providing the industry with innovative primary packaging solutions. LOG has combined 48 years of industry experience with the innovative Israeli state-of-mind to deliver the future of pharmaceutical packaging while being fully compliant with US FDA and European pharmacopoeia standards.
Low and inconsistent adherence is responsible for 33% of medicine-related hospitalisations – an estimated 125,000 deaths every year in the US alone – and $300 billion in avoidable costs to the healthcare system annually. According to the World Health Organisation, adherence rates for patients with chronic illnesses is only 50%, yet at least 80% compliance is required for a medication to have its optimal effect.
There are many factors that contribute to low adherence, such as poor communication between doctors and patients, and unwanted side effects. But according to ExpressScripts, 69% of non-adherence is behavioural, caused by forgetfulness or procrastination.
Low adherence is a pain point for pharma
Clearly, these numbers are very concerning in terms of negative patient health outcomes, but what does this mean for the pharmaceutical industry? Pharma companies are losing hundreds of billions of dollars every year due to non-adherence. This is affecting direct revenue from unfilled prescriptions as well as the perceived value of their products.
Currently, pharma companies and doctors rely heavily on patient self-reporting to determine a treatment’s effectiveness. However, studies have brought to question the validity and precision of such methods. For example, in a survey conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), eight out of 10 patients admitted that they have lied to their physicians, often due to embarrassment or fear of being judged.
Smart packaging boosts adherence by up to 23%
To address the lack of patient adherence to prescription medicine and nutraceuticals, and to support patients in following their prescribed drug regimen, LOG Pharma – in cooperation with the internet of things (IoT) specialists of Water.IO – has released the revolutionary ActiveGuard CONNECT. This product features a smart IoT component with integrated desiccant chamber that is inserted into the neck of a pillbox/bottle, and links and synchronises with the patient’s smartphone. The smart packaging product enables indication of taken doses, tracks temperature within the bottle, and can remind patients or caregivers as needed to drive adherence.
LOG Pharma’s smart packaging solution enables big-data analysis based on historical and real-time data to track compliance and empower pharma and nutraceutical manufacturers to improve medication and supplement efficiency. It also provides manufacturers with a unique connection to engage with the end customer and build a long-term relationship, increasing sales with an app-based reorder function.
ActiveGuard CONNECT integrates into industry-standard packaging solutions – without requiring any changes to the closure of the packaging – enabling the drug manufacturers to use the existing filling line equipment with only minor adjustments. This saves tremendous capex cost of changing packaging moulds or filling lines.
In a 60-day pilot study, use of the smart component was shown to raise adherence by 23% through various types of reminders, customised to each user. The main drivers for improved adherence were an extra evening reminder, a weekly boost notification every Sunday morning to start the week off right, and personal notifications to inactive users. One out of every three inactive users came back on track as a result of these personalised notifications.
