Kubota Kiyoshi, Shimada Morio, Ura Hiroyuki, Sadamoto Kiyomi
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shonan University of Medical Science, Yokohama, Japan.
MECSION, General Incorporated Association, Hiratsuka, Japan.
Med Devices (Auckl). 2024 Nov 9;17:441-453. doi: 10.2147/MDER.S482277. eCollection 2024.
Press-through packages (PTPs) are frequently used for the packaging of prescription drugs in Japan. However, tablets or capsules packaged in PTPs may become unstable and difficult to store. Therefore, aluminum pouches (pillow packages) are applied as an additional packaging option. Especially for 10-sheet tablet (capsule) PTPs, there are many opportunities for health-care professionals (mainly pharmacists) to open pillow packages during the dispensing process. However, aluminum pouches (pillow packages) that are easy to open and store appropriately by not only pharmacists, but also patients, are needed.
A 100-unit PTP (pillow package) with conventional specifications and two other products (: open vertically by a wavy processed half-cut and : pinch the backlining open) were developed with the aim of improving the ease of opening. The study participants, consisting of pharmacists and patients, performed tasks such as opening and taking drugs out of the PTP for each sample, and evaluated the differences in usability.
The results of a sensory test revealed that pharmacists rated products and higher than product . On the other hand, patients, including those with weak grip and pinching strengths, rated highly, confirming the superiority of usability in the order of , and . In addition, item was successfully opened by all patients.
The present results indicated the superiority of the developed pillow packaging, which enables pharmacists to save time in the dispensing process. In addition, product ③ was evaluated highly by patients, especially those with disabilities, for its ease of use not only in terms of opening, but also storage. Sensory testing by actual users applying ergonomic methods enabled a multifaceted evaluation of the products and provided insights into the actual status of pharmacists' dispensing work (product issues) and patients' daily medication use.
在日本，压片包装（PTP）常用于处方药的包装。然而，用PTP包装的片剂或胶囊可能会变得不稳定且难以储存。因此，铝袋（枕式包装）被用作一种额外的包装选择。特别是对于10片装的片剂（胶囊）PTP，医护人员（主要是药剂师）在配药过程中有很多机会打开枕式包装。然而，需要一种不仅药剂师，而且患者也易于打开并能妥善储存的铝袋（枕式包装）。
为了提高开启的便利性，开发了一种具有传统规格的100单位PTP（枕式包装）以及另外两种产品（：通过波浪形半切割垂直打开和：捏住衬里打开）。由药剂师和患者组成的研究参与者对每个样品进行了诸如从PTP中打开和取出药物等任务，并评估了可用性的差异。
感官测试结果显示，药剂师对产品和的评价高于产品。另一方面，包括握力和捏力较弱的患者在内，患者对的评价很高，证实了可用性的优越性顺序为、和。此外，所有患者都能成功打开项目。
目前的结果表明所开发的枕式包装具有优越性，这使得药剂师在配药过程中能够节省时间。此外，产品③因其在打开和储存方面的易用性而受到患者，尤其是残疾患者的高度评价。实际用户采用人体工程学方法进行的感官测试能够对产品进行多方面的评估，并深入了解药剂师配药工作的实际情况（产品问题）和患者的日常用药情况。
