The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7173 p667-671
10 November 2001

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Alpharma to colour-code packaging

Alpharma is to colour-code all its generic medicines following a change in branding from Cox Pharmaceuticals. The changes take account of measures recently recommended to reduce medication errors (PJ, 1 September, p286).

The main emphasis on packaging will be on the product name and strength rather than the Alpharma brand. Each product will carry one of seven colours (turquoise, tan, violet, red, green, pink or blue) with the intention that no two alphabetically consecutive products, or those regularly prescribed together, will carry the same colour. The main exception to this is products like warfarin, where the packaging will match the colour of the tablets. A strength bar has been introduced to mark different strengths of the same product in different colours. Foils will have product information repeated more frequently in an attempt to retain information if blister packs are cut up or after tablets are removed. Patient information leaflets have also been redesigned to make them easier to read.

The new packaging is to be introduced on around 20 lines per month starting in January 2002 and taking around 12–18 months to complete. Higher volume products will be changed first. The Cox name is to be retained on non-prescription medicines. Full details, including leaflets for patients and point of sale materials, are to be sent to pharmacies.

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