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The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is working with the pharmaceutical industry to optimise the presentation of medicines for Alzheimer's disease.
All these medicines will include the days of the week clearly on the blister packs. This small but important change may enable patients retain independence in taking their medicines. It could have the added effect of aiding compliance with dosage regimens and ultimately maximising the efficacy of treatment.
The improved packaging is expected to be introduced from June 2016. Medication packaging can be confusing for people with dementia. And simple modifications, such as indicating the days of the week or making the font clearer to read, can have huge implications for both the independence and the safety of people living with dementia, said George McNamara, Head of Policy at Alzheimer’s Society.
And while it’s encouraging to see this change in dementia medication, nearly three out of four people with dementia also live with other long-term illnesses. “We would like to see other companies within the pharmaceutical industry following suit to create dementia-friendly medication packaging across the board, he added.
Sarah Branch, MHRA’s Deputy Director - Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Division, said: “The MHRA has heard the concerns of patients and will tailor the way in which the medicines we authorise are presented to the market to better meet their needs.”
Source: MHRA
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