The pharmaceutical market is by far the most crisis -resistant market. In 2009, these good results were partly due to the H1N1 flue. Even in a period of crisis, French peopl e continue to buy medicines which are partly reimburs ed, thanks to a highly protective health insurance system. On the other hand, the self-medication market was a ffected more severely, and on the whole behaved as a traditional consumer market, i.e. people do not buy things when they are not absolutely needed. Food supplements are among the product families whi ch were most seriously hit by the crisis: For the f irst time the results are negative.

THE STAKES OF THE HEALTH SECTOR: TRACEABILITY, REGULATIONS AND QUALITY, PACKAGING IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED TO SUPPORT DRUG EFFECTIVENESS ! The pharmaceutical industry is a special market for the packaging industry: More than in any other sectors, packaging is key to support drug effectiveness. Packaging must ensure complete medicine preservation and avoid migrations between container and content. It must facilitate proper use and treatment adherence. Regulations are drastic and primary packaging (in contact with medicines) is subject to approval – just like the molecule – for receiving marketing authorization. The pharmaceutical industry is on the leading edge of safety requirements. Health is not to be treated lightly, in particular when packaging medicines such as ophthalmic products or parenterally administered drugs. New regulations on medicine traceability have been adopted at the European level requiring that DataMatrix codes be printed on all medicine packages as of January 1st, 2011. Coupled with a medicine identification system, the new traceability tool will also be useful to fight against counterfeiting. Since summer 2008, a number of non-refundable optional-prescription drugs (for ordinary and minor pathologies) have been made available off the shelf in French pharmacies. For more than ten years France has been developing the generic medicine market to reduce its health care costs. By 2012 a great number of blockbuster medicine patents will have lapsed, and it will be possible to replace them with generic medicines. The pharmaceutical industry is more and more committed to sustainable development. As far as packaging is concerned, the use of recycled materials is subject to strict regulations, and pharmaceutical companies are seeking to reduce packaging weight.

22-25 Nov. 2010 • www.emballageweb.com

HEALTH MARKET

KEY FIGURES 2009 (sources IMS Health) • Total market growth: +1.7% to +1.9 % • Retail pharmacy market: +0.9 % in value and +0.5 % in volume.

- Refundable medicine market (pharmacies): +1.1 % in value and +1.3 % in volume - Non refundable medicine market: -1.7 % in value and -4.4 % in volume.

SaloEMBALLA • 22-25 n. 2010 • www.emballageweb.com

ANSWERS PROVIDED BY PACKAGING MANUFACTURERS • Safe packaging complying with high quality standa rds Packaging manufacturers who supply primary packaging to pharmaceutical companies have facilities which closely meet their customers' cleanliness requirements, i.e. clean rooms, controlled atmosphere, manufacturing inspections… Some manufacturers supply ready-to-use sterile pack elements to pharmaceutical companies. • Packaging to facilitate treatment adherence Helping medication adherence is a central issue for the pharmaceutical industry, as medication misuse is inefficient and delays cure . Packaging manufacturers have developed marking systems to help patients monitor the progress of medicine administration, as well as dispensing aids (e.g. dosing, dispenser, dose counter).

• Packaging to provide information As some OTC medicines are now available to consumers off the shelf, they require more detailed information about their correct use : Development of instructions systems providing larger printing areas to include such information. • Development of solutions to fight against counter feit drugs: Tamper-proof, tamper-evident, identification, and authentication systems… According to the WHO, counterfeit drugs account for 10% of the world pharmaceutical industry's turnover. It is a key public health issue and a plague which is now fought via a combination of identification and authentication measures and solutions incorporated in the packages. As from January 2011, a DataMatrix code will be printed on each medicine pack; it will replace the former barcode and will ensure better identification. Authentication is ensured via information encoded or encrypted in the products or packs, based on the use of digital technologies which provide the only solutions that cannot be forged, copied or reproduced.

EXAMPLES ArjoWiggins Security proposes Secumatrix®, an anti-counterfeiting solution combined with DataMatrix code printing. This system does not require the production line to be modified. A high-security chemical signature is mixed with the printing ink used for code printing – a proven technology which has been used for many years for the protection of banknotes. Logopak , a supplier of labelling solutions, has teamed up with Seidenader Vision to propose DataMatrix code printing and inspecting systems. Rondo offers medicine packs which facilitate medication adherence.

Press contact: Stephanie DRYANDER Tel.: 33 (0)1 76 77 12 80 • Stephanie.dryander@comexposium.com

22-25 nov. 2010 • www.emballageweb.com