Newsroom
Bausch & Lomb Launches Colour-Differentiated Minims
FOR RELEASE MARCH 2, 2009
LONDON - Bausch & Lomb announces the launch of colour-differentiated packaging for its Minims product portfolio of single dose, preservative-free eye drops. The Minims medicines themselves remain unchanged.
Bausch & Lomb Brand Manager Anne Davies commented that “Previously, some clinicians were unaware of the wide selection of eye drops available in the Minims range. The new packaging represents a significant step forward for the Minims portfolio, which remains central to ophthalmic practice in the UK.”
Most eye care practitioners will be familiar with the Minims ophthalmic range, used in all hospital eye clinics and most optometric clinics throughout the UK. The range represents the UK’s widest portfolio of diagnostic and therapeutic ophthalmic products, including artificial tears, irrigating solution, topical anesthetics, stains, antibacterials, miotics, mydriatics and cycloplegics. Minims products can also be prescribed by appropriately qualified optometrists (excluding steroids, beta blockers and some antibiotics).
Reduces Risk of Dispensing Errors
The new Minims packaging includes the following features to minimise the risk of dispensing errors:
• Use of coloured cartons to permit easy differentiation of product lines;
• Product name printed on four sides of pack;
• The introduction of a tamper-evident seal.
Colour has been used as a tool to differentiate between different therapeutic areas in the Minims range. While it is still the responsibility of the health professional to read the packaging to ensure that the correct medicine is administered, Bausch & Lomb believes that by introducing a colour scheme dispensing errors will be minimised.
Bausch & Lomb worked with doctors, nurses and pharmacists to test different colour formats and designs. Incorporating their feedback, the final design was discussed with and approved by the MHRA.
Designed According to NPSA Recommendations
Packaging for pharmaceuticals in the European Union is heavily regulated to ensure appropriate use by physicians, associated professionals and patients. The new packaging complies with these regulations, and also accommodates the guidelines provided by the National Patient Safety Association1 (NPSA).
In response to the launch of the new colour-differentiated Minims packaging, Professor David Cousins of the NPSA said, “The NPSA has issued guidance on the principles of safe design of labelling and packaging of medicines, We welcome any initiatives from the pharmaceutical industry which support improvements in patient safety by moving towards the recommendations in this guidance.”
Purchasing for Safety
NHS hospitals are encouraged by the Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) “purchasing for safety” 2 initiative to use medicines which have been designed with safety in mind. With a large proportion of Minims being used in the hospital setting, the re-designed packaging supports this initiative.
One Minims Unit – One Patient
All Minims eye drops are provided as single use units, eliminating the potential for contamination that can occur with multi-dose products. Minims eye drops are licensed for single use only, which means that a new unit should be used for each application. Minims are not designed to be stored and used again after first opening.
Minims are preservative-free, thus suitable for those who are sensitive to preservatives. Minims units have an additional safety advantage over all other single-use eye droppers in that they are double-wrapped, which ensures that the dropper is sterile at the point of use.
Further Information
A chart displaying the entire Minims portfolio is available on request from the Bausch & Lomb Medical Information department at 01748 828864 or medicalinformationUK@bausch.com.
For copies of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) and Patient Information Leaflets (PILs), please visit http://emc.medicines.org.uk or http://www.bausch.co.uk.
The Marketing Authorisation holder for the Minims products is Chauvin Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.
GB-MIN-ART-1-4-08. Date of preparation December 2008
1 http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/nrls/medication-zone/design-for-patient-safety-medication-topics/
2 http://www.pasa.nhs.uk/PASAWeb/NHSprocurement/Purchasingforsafetyinjectablemedicines/
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Bausch & Lomb is the eye health company dedicated to perfecting vision and enhancing life for people around the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. The Bausch & Lomb name is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare brands in the world. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. Its products are available in more than 100 countries. More information is available at www.bausch.com.
Minims is a trademark of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.
