Medication packaging method and system

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 11037667
  • Patent Number
    11,037,667
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, May 16, 2018
    6 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 15, 2021
    3 years ago
Abstract
A method for packaging a medication including receiving a prescription for a patient including a name of the medication for the patient and a name of the patient, wherein the patient is one of a plurality of family members. The method further comprises receiving a family member listing from the patient identifying one or more other ones of the plurality of family members, assigning a color to the patient that differs from any of one or more colors assigned to any of the other ones of the plurality of family members identified in the family member listing, and packaging the medication for delivery to the patient including securing a color-coded member to the container for the medication. The color-coded member is the color assigned to the patient.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an integrated medication packaging and labeling system and more specifically to a prescription medication packaging and labeling system, which is designed to clearly provide information about the medication in order to avoid misuse of the medication.


The present invention also relates independently to a label for prescription medication, a method for generating a label for prescription medication, a container for prescription medication and an information card for prescription medication.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Unfortunately, there are numerous instances in which prescription medication is misused with harmful and often fatal results. Misuse may involve a variety of different factors, such as taking the correct medication in an improper manner, at an incorrect time schedule and/or at an incorrect time with respect to meals, as well as taking the incorrect medication resulting from similarities between the shape, size, name and/or color of different medication and the bottles or containers in which different medications are dispensed.


Medication misuse often involves people, e.g., elderly people, who have difficulty reading and/or understanding the directions for using a particular medication. For example, it is known that Cardizem CD™, a prescription medication for blood pressure control, must be swallowed whole in order to be effective. This fact is indicated on the label that accompanies dispensation of the medication. However, elderly people may experience problems swallowing a large capsule and therefore might resort to breaking the capsule into smaller parts or chewing the capsule. This negates the pharmacological effects of the medication so that even though the patient is taking the medication, the desired control of the blood pressure is not being obtained in view of the misuse of the medication.


In the. U.S., almost as much money is spent addressing the complications caused by home medication errors as is spent purchasing all the medications dispensed. Three years ago, almost 76 billion a year was spent purchasing medications in the U.S. while another 76 billion was spent treating medication errors including, but not limited to, errors caused by complications experienced by individuals as a result of misunderstandings in taking their medications. The cost of home medication increases (180 billion+) when the costs to an employer for absenteeism, on-the-job injuries, etc. are included. Home medication errors are a national public health issue that is harming patients and the health care system, as well as the productivity of the U.S.


When a person is non-adherent, i.e., does not follow the proper instructions for taking medication, the cost of the treatment increases for both the consumer and the health care insurance provider. The wise use of prescription drugs can save lives. Prescription drugs should not be causing such high rates of medical complications and deaths as a result of people not being adequately informed. Home medication errors made by patients are linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths a year and cost this country nearly 180 billion in extra medical treatments.


In an attempt to avoid such misuse, accurate and detailed information is typically provided on labels affixed by a pharmacist to containers of prescription medication specifying the exact manner in which the prescription medication should be used.


Each pharmacy typically has its own label design that may be tailored to its specific needs as well as designed to be in compliance with any regulatory or statutory requirements. The label provides the prescription user with instructions and other necessary information to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to misuse of the medication. The information typically contained on the label includes the name, address and telephone number of the pharmacy, a prescription number, a date on which the prescription is prepared, an expiration date of the prescribed medication, the patient's name and address, the dosage and time schedule (e.g., 2 tablets every four hours), the prescribing doctor's name, the number of permissible refills, if any, the name of the medication, the number of capsules or tablets in the bottle, the weight of each capsule or tablet and indications as to whether the medication should be taken with meals, before meals, after meals, with liquids, not in combination with certain products, refrigerated, and the like.


There is no specific order in which the information provided on the label must be displayed. As such, each pharmacy's label is different. This causes inconveniences when one person has multiple prescriptions, each filled at a different pharmacy. Although the patient might be familiar with a label from one pharmacy and know where to look on that label to find information about taking the medication, he or she would have to search for the same information on a label from a different pharmacy.


In addition, when generating forms for prescription labels, pharmacies often do not prioritize the information, i.e., create an order in which the information is to be printed, for example, based on relevancy.


Thus, in a significant number of current prescription labels, there is no hierarchy of importance of the information contained thereon. Rather, it is often the case that the information about the pharmacy, including its logo, if any, is the most prominently displayed information.


Another inconvenience for patients taking medication relates to warning stickers which are applied to the containers at the pharmacy. Such warning stickers generally have a standard form and some warning stickers are bright orange or red with black printing. When placed on the containers, it is difficult to read the warnings since the black type does not stand out against the bright colors of the warning stickers, i.e., there is not sufficient contrast. Moreover, the red and orange warning stickers do not stand out against amber containers which are used in some pharmacies.


Another possible inconvenience arises when the stickers are affixed to the container and inadvertently cover up a significant amount of text on the label. This creates a problem for patients to read the information printed on the labels. In addition, the warning sticker also becomes difficult to read.


From the warning stickers to the placement of text on the labels to the size of the type used on the labels, there is no consistency in the labeling of prescriptions. As such, important information regarding the use of a medication is often overlooked since there is no indication that such information is important or even critical to the use of the medication. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a prescription labeling system in which information is placed in the order of importance so that important information is placed before information of lesser importance and is therefore not susceptible to being overlooked.


Another problem with prior medication systems is that the medication containers are usually cylindrical in shape such that the label is wrapped around the entire bottle. In this manner, the information printed on the label is difficult to read since, in order to read all of the information, the bottle must be held and rotated. It would be advantageous if all of the information about the prescription on a bottle were to be visible to a patient without having to rotate the bottle.


After dispensing the proper medication, most pharmacies place the filled container in a paper bag with printed information about the prescription as well as additional information about the prescription such as the price. The bag itself is typically branded with the pharmacy's identity and possible advertisements. The bag also may include information about the fastest way to refill the medication. The customer receipt and prescription information page are attached to the bag. The prescription information page is often a sheet of paper about 8.5 inches by 12 inches, folded, with text on both sides. The text is small and laid out with around 26 words per line. The prescription information page is thus often disregarded in view of the sheer amount of text thereon and the relatively small type. Such presents a problem as the information on the prescription information page is extremely important as it describes various properties of the particular drug such as what it is, how to use it, side effects, precautions, drug interactions, overdose, missed dose and storage. Sometimes, this is the only form of communication the patient has with the pharmacist.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for packaging a medication including receiving a prescription for a patient including a name of the medication for the patient and a name of the patient, wherein the patient is one of a plurality of family members. The method further comprises receiving a family member listing from the patient identifying one or more other ones of the plurality of family members, assigning a color to the patient that differs from any of one or more colors assigned to any of the other ones of the plurality of family members identified in the family member listing, and packaging the medication for delivery to the patient including securing a color-coded member to the container for the medication. The color-coded member is the color assigned to the patient. Other embodiments and systems are also disclosed.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements.



FIG. 1 shows a prescription label in accordance with the invention without information regarding a particular prescription.



FIG. 2 shows a prescription label in accordance with the invention including information about a prescription.



FIG. 3 shows various pictograms used on a label in accordance with the invention.



FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention with a self-expiration feature.



FIG. 5 is a front view of a container in accordance with the invention to which the label shown in FIG. 1 can be applied.



FIG. 6 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 5.



FIG. 7 shows several containers in accordance with the invention having labels in accordance with the invention applied thereto.



FIG. 8 shows an information card in accordance with the invention alongside a container in accordance with the invention.



FIG. 9 shows the magnifying lens which can be placed in connection with the container in accordance with the invention.



FIG. 10 shows a sheet having a label section and data section for creating labels in accordance with the invention.



FIG. 11 shows a sheet having a label section and data section created in accordance with the invention.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, a prescription label in accordance with the invention is designated generally as 10 and includes a unique arrangement of demarcated information areas in which specific information concerning the prescription is printed. The information to be printed in each information area is selected based in part on the importance of the information to the patient and with a view toward clearly conveying the proper use of the medication so as to avoid harmful and even potentially fatal errors in the use of the medication.


The arrangement and content of the label is designed to prevent the unfortunately all too common problem of people getting sick and sometimes dying due to mistakes such as misreading a dosage or not seeing a warning label when taking medication. Thus, the label is designed to make the medication user's experience less confusing. This is done by generally combing the ideas of information architecture with cognitive functions of older adults. The label is the result of a significant amount of research, which determined the layout of instructional information.


Based on the research, an intuitive label is provided in which information to be presented thereon is divided into two categories, primary and secondary. The primary information reflects relatively important information, i.e., exactly what the patient wants and needs to know first to avoid misuse of the medication such as the name of the drug, its purpose, dosage and how to take it. The secondary information reflects information of lesser importance, such as the expiration date, quantity, name of the doctor prescribing the medication, how to reach the doctor, etc. The secondary information also includes the drug store, the refill number and the dispensing date. The hierarchy of the information, e.g., the order, position, type size, contrast, leading, alignment and choice of typefaces, is another important factor to a functional and clear label. In combination, the order of presentation of information and the manner in which the information is presented, coupled with the consumer's point of view, is crucial to the success of labeling system in accordance with the invention in the prevention of misuse of medication.


To achieve this purpose, the labels 10 are partitioned into a plurality of discrete information areas and a label dispensing machine can be used which prints the partitions lines when printing the information on the label. In the alternative, the labels can be pre-printed with the partition lines between the information areas. In general, the label 10 is formed on a substrate having an adhesive backing layer so that when the backing layer is removed, the label 10 can be affixed to a container via the adhesive layer.


A first information area 12 is arranged at the top of the label 10, extending almost entirely across the top of the label 10. Information area 12 is printed with the patient's full name and the patient's home address below the patient's name.


Information area 14 is arranged below information area 12 and is a shaded region in which the identification or name of the medication is printed. The identification of the medication may be the trademarked name of the medication, if this version is prescribed, or the equivalent generic name if a generic is available and prescribed or dispensed.


Information area 14 also includes an icon or pictogram 14a of the medication proximate the right edge of the information area 14. The presentation of the pictogram 14a serves to distinguish generally, for example, between capsules and tablets. By providing a pictogram 14a of the medication on the label 10, errors arising from taking the wrong medication can be prevented when two or more prescribed medications have different forms. For example, if a capsule is prescribed for one illness and a tablet for another, then the patient could view the pictogram 14a of the medication on the label 10 and know which medication is the right one to take. The patient would not have to consider even the name of the medication. Of course, this is not possible when the same type of medication is prescribed, such as two tablet-form medications.


In addition, the use of pictograms will enable patients to detect mistakes in the dispensing of the medication, e.g., if the form of the medication does not correspond to the pictogram. Possible pictograms 14a are discussed below with reference to FIG. 3.


Below information area 14 is information area 16, which contains a brief description of the purpose of the medication. A variety of purposes are designated for application by the label printing machine and may include “sleep-aid”, “blood pressure control”, “anti-biotic”, “lowers cholesterol”, “antihistamine”, “cough-cold”, “migraine”, “anti-anxiety”, “anti-psoriasis” and “anti-arrhythmic” At the right edge of information area 16 is the dosage 16a of the medication, i.e., the strength or weight of the medication (10 mg, 20 mg, 100 mg, etc.).


A large information area 18 is arranged below information area 16 and includes the word “take” followed by instructions on the manner in which the medication should be taken. Precise and detailed instructions in plain language may be provided in view of the large size of information area 18. For example, possible instructions may be “1 to 2 tablets at bedtime as needed”, “2 tablets before meals”, “1 tablet every 12 hours”, “swallow 2 tablets every six hours” and the like. The information area 18 can also include a notation of “HIGH ALERT” (as shown in the middle label 10 of the container shown in FIG. 7) or a warning not to take more than a specific number of capsules or tablets per day.


The information in information areas 12, 14, 16, 18 may be considered the primary information in that it is the basic information needed to properly administer or take the medication. The name of the patient for which the medication is prescribed is necessary to avoid the situation where one person takes another medication. The name of the medication is necessary to avoid the situation where the wrong medication is taken The purpose of the medication is necessary to clarify the condition and reason why the medication is being taken so that if the condition is no longer present, the medication would not be required. This happens when a medication is taken as a pain reliever so that once the pain is no longer present, the medication can be stopped. The instructions about how to take the medication are necessary to avoid the situation where the medication is taken improperly and thus may not provide its intended and expected benefits.


Additional information is also printed on the label 10 and is considered the secondary information in that it is less important for correct usage of the medication than the primary information. To this end, information area 20 is arranged below information area 18 and includes information about the expiration date of the medication, the date beyond which the medication may not be effective. Information area 22 is below information area 20 and includes information about the number of possible refills of the medication and the quantity of tablets or capsules in the prescription. The label 10 includes the word “expires:” following by space for the expiration date, the word “refill:” following by a space for number indicative of the number of refills available, and the word “qty:” or “quantity” following by a space for the quantity of tablets or capsules in the prescription.


Information area 24 is below information area 22 and includes information about the doctor prescribing the medication, including for example, his or her phone number and optionally the address, the date the prescription is written and the doctor's DEA number.


Information areas 12-24 are substantially rectangular and have a common length. The width of the information areas 12-24 varies as shown in FIG. 1. The demarcation lines between the various information areas are usually 0.5 in weight and 30% black. However, the line 60 between the primary information in information area 18 and the secondary information in information area 20 is twice as thick and 1 pt in weight and 100% block. This demarcation line separates the primary information from the secondary information.


Another information area 26 is arranged at the right of information areas 12-24 and the print therein is vertically oriented. Information area 26 includes the logo of the store or pharmacy dispensing the prescription and information about the store or pharmacy including for example, the prescription number, the phone number and optionally the address, and the date the prescription is dispensed.


To complete the label 10, other printed information can also be provided if desired, needed and/or required by law. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the label 10 includes an indication that warnings and drug information is on the back of the label (information area 28) and a cautionary statement that federal law prohibits transfer of the drug to any person other than the patient for whom the drug is prescribed (information area 30). The indication in information area 28 is black print on a color background and the particular color used is indicative of the type of warning. This feature is discussed in greater detail below.


In addition to the arrangement and content of the information areas 12-26, the font, type and capitalization used to print the information is selected to optimize the conveyance of information about the prescription and its usage. Specifically, the printed information has different types with more important information printed in a larger type than information of lesser importance. As an example, in the label illustrated in FIG. 2, the name of the medication in information area 14 has the largest font (15.5 pt) and is printed in capital letters in view of its overriding importance. The patient's name in information area 12 has the next largest font (12 pt) following by the instructions in information area 18 in 11 pt (the word “take” in information area 18 being slightly smaller in 10 pt) and the information in information areas 20 and 22, i.e., the expiration date, refill number and quantity, also in 11 pt (the words “expires:”, “refill:” and “qty:” being slightly smaller in 10 pt). The purpose of the medication in information area 16 is printed in 9.5 pt and the patient's address in information area 12 and the doctor's information in information area 24 is printed in 8.5 pt. In information area 26, the prescription number and the phone number are printed in 8.5 pt while the date the prescription is dispensed is printed in 7.5 pt. The dosage information printed in information area 16 is printed in 8 pt. The indication in information area 28 is printed in 8 pt and the federal warning in information area 30 is printed in 7 pt.


With respect to the font, it has been found that the Myriad Roman font is an extremely advantageous font since it provides clear letters when used either plain, in an italics mode or in a bold or semi-bold mode. The particular mode of the Myriad Roman font used for the information printed in each information area is preferably selected to optimize the conveyance of information on the label. (In the label illustrated in FIG. 2, only the federal warning in information area 30 has a different font, i.e., Helvetica condensed.)


In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the patient's name is printed in italics and the name of the medication, the patient's address and the doctor's name and DEA information are printed in capitals. Bold print is used for the name of the medication in information area 14 and the phone number of the pharmacy and the prescription number in information area 26. A semi-bold print is used for the purpose of the medication in information area 16, the doctor's name and the notation “DEA:” in information area 24 and the expiration date, refill number and quantity in information area 20. Small caps are used for the indication in information area 28.


In addition, the numbers relating to the instructions for taking the medication, in information area 18, may also be printed in bold type. This will serve to highlight for example, the number of tablets and/or the hours between taking the medication. An instruction can therefore be, for example, “1 or 2 capsules every 4 hours as needed”. This clearly conveys to the patient the proper administration of the medication.


As also shown in FIG. 2, all of the text (except the dosage in information area 16 and the pharmacy information in information area 26), should preferably be left-justified and lined up.


As noted above, the indication in information area 28 is printed in black ink on a color background. It is possible to obtain numerous different colors using any commercially available color printer which can be adapted to print prescription labels. Possible colors used in the invention are green, orange, blue, gray, pink, and yellow and these colors, as well as possibly other colors, can easily be produced by most any color printer.


The color of the information area 28 can be used to convey specific information designed to prevent misuse of the medication. For example, each member of a family can be assigned a different color and whenever that member has a prescription filled, the information area 28 will be printed in that color. In this manner, each member will know only to take medication having his or her color. This will enable each patient to take the correct medication in a situation where two members of the same family are taking the same medication but different doses, e.g., one is taking Ambien 10 mg and the other is taking Ambien 50 mg. By color-coding at least a portion of the label, and associating each individual color with a particular family member, each family member will know only to take medication having his or her assigned color thereon.


Assignment of different colors to different family members may be done when the family first fills a prescription at a pharmacy incorporating the labeling system in accordance with the invention. The family member would complete a form listing the family members and each would select or be assigned a color for the label. The system would prevent the selection or assignment of the same color to more than one family member. If a patient-consumer lives alone, he or she can always choose a default color. Instead of assigning different colors to different family members, it is also possible to use color-coding for morning pills and nighttime pills. This might be used by a person living alone. As such, he or she could code labels pertaining to morning pills one color and their evening pills another color. Alternatively, color-coding can be used universally to differentiate between different families of medications.


The use of a particular color on the label is a quick and easy way for a patient to identify a particular medication since color is mentally processed in a short amount of time. Use of color therefore helps avoid confusion when multiple medications are present. Instead of limiting the color-coded portion to information area 28, other portions of the labels can be colored, for example, the borders or possibly information area 14.


In some instances, it might be desirable to use a specific color, such as red, on a portion of the label to identify high-risk medications.



FIG. 3 shows possible icons or pictograms 14a of medications which can be printed in information area 16 alongside the name of the medication. The pictograms 14a include one for capsules which is oval and divided in half with each half being colored differently, one for tablets which is round and divided in half, one for suppositories having the general shape of a suppository, one for syrup having the shape of a drop of fluid and one for oblong tablets which is oval with a line in the middle and uncolored.


As noted above, by displaying a pictogram of the medication on the label, when multiple medications are prescribed having different forms, the pictogram provides a quick and easy way to determine the medication (assuming it is known that one medication is in one form and the other medication is in another form). In addition, displaying a pictogram of the medication on the label allows the patient to detect if the medicine in the container to which the label 10 is affixed does not match the pictogram 14a. If so, the patient will hopefully avoid taking the medication and clarify the situation as to which medication should be taken.


Referring now to FIG. 4, the label 10 in accordance with the invention can be provided with a self-expiration mark 62. This type of mark 62 is useful because many medications lose their potency over time and become unsafe if used beyond the expiration date.


The label 10, when generated, is provided with a time-released expiration mark 62, such as stripes of red color against a white background, which appear on the label 10 when the medication has expired. While initially the label 10 has a generally white background, stripes of color will appear upon expiration of the medication notifying the user that the medication has expired. If the label has a big red “X” going through it, it should be clear to the patient that the medicine is no longer effective and could be dangerous.


The application of a time-release expiration mark to labels has been developed by Temtec Inc. of Suffern, N.Y. which makes a product called TempBadge. The following U.S. patents owned by Temtec are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,605,246, 5,446,705, 5,602,804, 5,633,835, 5,640,742, 5,699,326, 5,715,215, 5,719,828, 5,755,175, 5,785,354, 5,822,280, 5,862,101, 5,873,606, 5,930,206, 5,947,369, 5,957,458, 6,086,971, 6,197,396 and 6,295,252.


Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, the label 10 described above can be applied to any conventional containers or can be used in combination with a specially designed container designated generally as 32. Container 32 has a curved, preferably semi-circular, vertically oriented front wall 34, a planar rear wall 36, and a substantially planar bottom wall 38 having an edge that conforms to the curvature of the front wall 34. A cover or cap 40 engages with the front and rear walls 34, 36 at an upper portion thereof to close the container 32. Cap 40 includes a tongue portion 42 to facilitate opening of the cap 38 and access to the medication in the container 32.


The container 32 in accordance with the invention thus does not have the conventional cylindrical form. Several advantages are provided by the container 32 in accordance with invention. The user should feel comfortable using the container 32 since it is similar to the existing cylindrical containers, and not entirely different as would be the case if a container having a rectangular cross-section were to be used.


It has also been found that it is easier to read information on a semi-circle as opposed to having information printed all around a cylindrical container which would require the container to be turned in a complete circle to obtain all of the information printed thereon. Turning the container creates fragmented instructions.


In addition, the rear of the container 32 is planar and includes a retaining device which enables an information card and/or magnifying lens to be retained in a fixed position relative to the container. The information card would thus be easy to read without requiring any turning of the container 32.


Moreover, the semi-circular shape of the container 32 takes up less space in medicine cabinets and on kitchen counters where medication is usually stored.


The rear wall 36 of the container 32 includes at least one retaining device for enabling an information card 48 or magnifying lens to be retained in a fixed position relative to the container. A shoulder 44 is formed along each lateral edge of the rear wall 36 extending from the bottom of the rear wall 36 to the top of the rear wall 36 and each shoulder 44 includes a groove or ridge 46. An information card 48 (discussed below) or any other relevant material can slide in and out of a slot 50 formed by the grooves 46. Instead of opposed grooves 46 for holding the information card 48, other constructions, such as a pocket, could also be provided. It is also possible to attach the card directly to the rear wall of the container using a magnet or Velcro arrangement. The slot 50 may be dimensioned to accommodate any size of paper.


The slot 50 formed by the grooves 46 can be used by pharmacists to display special notes on the information card 48 for the patient. The note would be printed on the information card upon printing of the label 10. For example, the time the patient should take their medication can be printed on the card 48. The card 48 can also include warnings regarding the medication.


The slot 50 can also be used to hold a magnifying lens 52 which magnifies the medication in the container 32 to make it more clearly visible to the patient (see FIG. 9). The magnifying lens 52 would be beneficial to include with the container 32 for visually impaired and elderly patients or for patients who are frustrated by small typefaces.


In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the information card 48 is not affixed to the container 32 but rather is removably received in the slot 50. This is possible because the information card 48 would typically contain information supplemental to that on the label 10 so that as long as the label 10 is still affixed to the container 32, the medication can be properly taken. However, when the information card is not affixed to the container, warning stickers appearing on the back of the information card are also affixed to the planar surface of the container so that, if the card is removed, the warning stickers remain visible to the patient.


In another embodiment of the invention, the information card 48 is affixed to the container. In this embodiment, the card 48 is affixed at one of its edges and the card is folded so that it rests flush with the planar edge of the container. The patient unfolds the card 48 in order to read its contents.


The containers 32 may be constructed in various sizes. Medication containers are measured in drams and the number of drams reflects the content size of the bottle. At least three different size containers 32 are envisioned, namely, a large size (90 dram, about 4 inches by 2.75 inches), a medium size (30 dram, about 3.75 inches by 2 inches) and a small size (10 dram, about 3 inches by 1.75 inches). The size of the container 32 used by the pharmacist is selected according to the amount of medication prescribed.


In view of the different sizes of containers 32, the label 10 is also provided with different sizes, one to fit each of the different containers.


To produce the containers 32, an initial prototype mold of the container is made. The initial mold has a single cavity into which plastic is injected. A cavity is the space that forms the product by having plastic injected into it. A container designer works with the prototype until it meets with approval. Once a perfected prototype is complete, a multi-cavity mold can be made. The price of the mold varies according to the size of the container and how many cavities there are. Once a mold is approved, production of the containers can proceed. The containers 30 may be made of inexpensive recyclable plastic purchased from any number of suppliers. A common type is polypropylene.


Another novel feature of the invention is the particular construction and content of the information card 48 (see FIG. 8). The information card 48 is usable independent of the label 10 and the container 10, although preferably, the label 10, the container 32 and information card 48 are used in combination with one another to provide optimal protection against misuse of the prescribed medication.


In contrast to the prior art practice of providing information regarding the prescribed medication printed on sheets of paper with long lines of small type, the information card 48 in accordance with the invention is an easy-to-read, fold-out card that fits into the slot 50 formed by the grooves 46 on the rear wall 36 of the container 32. In view of the different sizes of containers 32, the card 48 will also be fabricated in three different sizes, one to fit each container 32. The card 48 thus has a width of approximately twice the width of the slot 50 so that when folded in the middle, it will be securely retained in the slot 50. The card can also be folded more than two times in which case, its width will be equal to the width of the slot 50 times the number of folded sections.


The information card 48 serves several purposes. The card provides the patient with warnings and side effects about the medication. When a patient opens the card, he or she can read information and facts about the particular drug. The warnings are placed on top of one another facing outward and thus are the first thing the patient sees when he or she turns the container 32 around. Even if the patient does not remove the information card 48 from the slot 50, he or she will be able to see the warnings. These warnings are designed to replace the current warning stickers.


The information card 48 also provides a space for pharmacists to enter additional notes that will help the patient comply with, e.g., dosage instructions. As shown in FIG. 7, the information card 48 is retained in a fixed position relative to the container such that a portion 54 at the upper edge of the information card 48 extends beyond the cap 40 on which a pharmacist or doctor may enter notes such as the time of day the medication should be taken (“BEDTIME”, “MORNING”, etc.). The information card 48 can then be positioned such that the portion 54 is visible when the container 32 is stored, e.g., in a medicine cabinet.


An additional card can be stapled to the bag in which the prescription is delivered and/or sold. This copy may be kept in the patient's wallet in case of an emergency. Since the card is easily accessible, it can be used as a reference whenever necessary.


The information card 48 may be made formed of a waterproof material or sealed to be waterproof so it can be stored in a bathroom without risk of getting wet. Ideally, a patient collects an additional copy of each card and, by reviewing the card, is readily able to ascertain what medications he or she is taking.


The information card 48 can be used with containers having different shapes than container 32. For example, information card 48 can be used in connection with any container having a flat side, such as a rectangular or square container. The information card 48 can also be used for cylindrical containers in which case, shoulders 44 can be formed at two peripheral locations around the container and the information card would be bent around a portion of the circumference of the container. Thus, the information card 48 can be used independent of the label 10 and container 32 described above.


Accordingly, a comprehensive labeling and packaging system for prescription medication is provided in accordance with the invention which seeks to benefit consumers by delivering instructions, warnings and knowledge about medications in a clear and simple manner in order to avoid the incorrect use of medication. By creating a clear, well thought-out system for labeling and packaging medications, an improved dispensing system will be created which will provide benefits to all parties involved. The medical industry will experience a decrease in medical errors, health insurance companies will profit as a result of lower hospital bills, drug companies will face fewer lawsuits, pharmacists and doctors will be able to identify different drugs and dosages and consumer's experience with the health care industry will be more satisfying


As to consumers, the system in accordance with the invention will likely provide the greatest benefit to prescription users over the age of 65. This group is at the highest risk of medication errors. There are currently more than 35 million Americans over the age of 65, and approximately 6.3 million may not be able to correctly read the directions that appear on their medicine labels. This problem is only going to worsen as the baby boomer generation grows older.


The system in accordance with the invention is designed to be easily readable for people 65 and older. In view of the presence of pictograms and the use of bold, clear typeface, among other features, illiterate and non-English-speaking citizens can also benefit from the invention. There are currently 40 million Americans who are functionally illiterate (reading at or below a fifth-grade level). Yet, like everyone, they need to understand how many times a day they should take their medication and what the side effects are.


Consumers will also benefit by the presence of distinguishing marks on the label that may alert the pharmacist of the need to provide particular, important information. For example, most pharmacists use automatic label printing machines which generate labels. In accordance with the invention, labels for some medications would be generated with marking indicating a “HIGH ALERT” (in information area 18) or a particular color in a specific region (the color red in information area 28). Upon seeing one of these markings, the pharmacist is informed of the need to explain information about the product to the patient to avoid possible misuse.


In the practice of the invention, a label 10 is formed on a single sheet with the information regarding the medication. Such a sheet is shown in FIG. 10 wherein two labels 10 are provided along with two information areas and in FIG. 11 wherein the information about a particular prescription is printed.


While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For example, the invention is not limited to prescription medications for humans but can also be applied to over-the-counter medications and medications for animals. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims
  • 1. A method comprising: forming a medication container configured to receive medication, the medication container including a curved front wall, and a rear planar wall forming a shoulder, wherein the shoulder of the rear planar wall defines a slot;securing a label to the medication container;accessing a form completed by one of a plurality of family members, wherein the form identifies a different color assigned to each family member of the plurality of family members including a patient;prior to delivery of the medication container to the patient, disposing a color identifier on the medication container corresponding to the color assigned to the patient on the form;slidably and removably retaining a medication information card including information relating to the medication within the slot relative to the rear planar wall of the medication container, wherein the medication information card comprises a first portion including a prescription-related notation and wherein the medication information card and the slot are both sized and shaped so that upon full insertion of the medication information card within the slot, the first portion of the medication information card extends beyond an edge of the medication container to make visible the prescription-related notation of the first portion of the medication information card beyond the edge of the medication container.
  • 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of a plurality of available colors to uniquely identify each family member of the plurality of family members.
  • 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing assignment of an available color to more than one of the plurality of family members such that each available color is assigned to only one of the plurality of family members.
  • 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the color identifier is a different color for each family member.
  • 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: printing the label including a name of the medication and a name of the patient; andapplying the label to the curved front wall of the medication container.
  • 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the printing of the label includes printing at least a portion of the label for the patient such that the label includes the color identifier.
  • 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising dispensing the medication into the medication container.
  • 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an owner of the medication within the plurality of family members solely upon viewing the color identifier on the medication container housing the medication.
  • 9. A method comprising: forming a medication container configured to receive medication, the medication container including a curved front wall, and a rear planar wall forming a shoulder, wherein the shoulder of the rear planar wall defines a slot;securing a label to the medication container;accessing a form completed by one of a plurality of family members, wherein the form identifies a different color assigned to each family member of the plurality of family members including a patient;prior to delivery of the medication container to the patient, disposing a color identifier on the medication container corresponding to the color assigned to the patient on the form;slidably and removably retaining a magnifying lens within the slot relative to the rear planar wall of the medication container, wherein the magnifying lens is configured to magnify the label on the medication container, and wherein upon full insertion of the magnifying lens within the slot, the magnifying lens is retained with the medication container.
  • 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the color identifier corresponds to at least one of a medication parameter and a patient parameter, wherein the patient is one of a plurality of family members.
  • 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising preventing recording of a same color for more than one of the plurality of the family members.
  • 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the medication information card comprises a foldable member including a folded position configured to be slidably removably retained within the slot.
  • 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the foldable member is configured to be repeatedly folded into and unfolded from the folded position.
  • 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising slidably and removably retaining a magnifying lens within the slot relative to the rear planar wall of the medication container, wherein the slot is sized and shaped to slidably removably retain both the magnifying lens and the medication information card.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/203,146, filed Mar. 10, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/245,625, filed Sep. 26, 2011, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/437,474, filed May 14, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,025,314, issued Sep. 27, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

US Referenced Citations (302)
Number Name Date Kind
D11149 Hood Apr 1879 S
D18997 Underhill Apr 1889 S
406017 Woodward et al. Jun 1889 A
493851 Adsit Mar 1893 A
605213 Weller Jun 1898 A
624701 Stevenson May 1899 A
716793 Vogeler Dec 1902 A
D45565 Lloyd Apr 1914 S
1181098 Lambert Apr 1916 A
1223933 Carr Apr 1917 A
1289218 Maiden Dec 1918 A
1411510 Peterson Apr 1922 A
1554191 Alexander Sep 1925 A
1653608 Allen Dec 1927 A
1686354 Wallace Oct 1928 A
1769147 Lennon Jul 1930 A
1815268 Newbery Jul 1931 A
1850369 Andrews Mar 1932 A
1991871 Sindler Feb 1935 A
1993978 Plochman Mar 1935 A
2007685 Lyle Jul 1935 A
2110768 Kellogg Mar 1938 A
D128282 Gelinas et al. Jul 1941 S
2270277 Dowd Jan 1942 A
D132185 McIntosh Apr 1942 S
2328806 Hoofer Sep 1943 A
2528259 Annunziata Oct 1950 A
2659614 Cook et al. Nov 1953 A
2717463 Sindler Sep 1955 A
2793842 Bacon May 1957 A
2794545 Olson Jun 1957 A
2844893 Keller Jul 1958 A
2847971 Painter Aug 1958 A
2908985 Hartman Oct 1959 A
2920777 Cole Jan 1960 A
2961108 Johnson Nov 1960 A
2995265 Soderberg Aug 1961 A
3256978 Srigley et al. Jun 1966 A
3298671 Popma et al. Jan 1967 A
3331521 Paige Jul 1967 A
3386837 Amot Jun 1968 A
3423861 Forsyth Jan 1969 A
3433378 Ross Mar 1969 A
3437194 Ames et al. Apr 1969 A
3625547 Burke Dec 1971 A
3628266 Wise Dec 1971 A
3757994 Skoetsch Sep 1973 A
3772809 Schneller Nov 1973 A
D230137 Bettonica Jan 1974 S
3787993 Lyon Jan 1974 A
3822780 Ulmer et al. Jul 1974 A
3826222 Romick Jul 1974 A
3850326 Ryles Nov 1974 A
3923180 Fields Dec 1975 A
3958690 Gee, Sr. May 1976 A
3996879 Walton Dec 1976 A
4022352 Pehr May 1977 A
4044889 Orentreich et al. Aug 1977 A
4061783 Hoffman et al. Dec 1977 A
4064645 Wood Dec 1977 A
RE29793 Pehr Oct 1978 E
4143786 Goldberg et al. Mar 1979 A
4150760 d'Orgelys Apr 1979 A
D255054 Kingsford May 1980 S
4246709 Selleslags Jan 1981 A
4263734 Bradshaw Apr 1981 A
4284200 Bush et al. Aug 1981 A
4285489 Blanchard Aug 1981 A
4334638 Stock Jun 1982 A
D270998 Stark Oct 1983 S
4428384 Raitto Jan 1984 A
D274309 Aldrich, III Jun 1984 S
4483622 Muhi et al. Nov 1984 A
4535903 Franchi Aug 1985 A
D280601 Biesecker Sep 1985 S
4550602 Burke, Sr. et al. Nov 1985 A
D282909 Biesecker Mar 1986 S
D285535 Buchholz et al. Sep 1986 S
4732411 Siegel Mar 1988 A
D295024 Trick Apr 1988 S
D295954 Kirchhoff May 1988 S
4753358 Virca et al. Jun 1988 A
4799712 Biava et al. Jan 1989 A
4802438 DeJonge Feb 1989 A
D300119 Pacquin Mar 1989 S
4813570 Pontoppidan Mar 1989 A
4819351 Boitani Apr 1989 A
4860899 McKee Aug 1989 A
4863026 Perkowski Sep 1989 A
4868027 Hunkeler et al. Sep 1989 A
4881648 Hagerty Nov 1989 A
4883180 Humphrey et al. Nov 1989 A
4889237 Brandon Dec 1989 A
D305505 Kunesh Jan 1990 S
4890742 Allison Jan 1990 A
4913083 Valvo et al. Apr 1990 A
4918604 Baum Apr 1990 A
4919285 Roof et al. Apr 1990 A
4941573 Fuerstman Jul 1990 A
4972657 McKee Nov 1990 A
D312776 Tacconelli Dec 1990 S
4991877 Lieberman Feb 1991 A
5011032 Rollman Apr 1991 A
5020682 Dutt Jun 1991 A
D319181 Balavich Aug 1991 S
5048870 Mangini et al. Sep 1991 A
D323780 Addante Feb 1992 S
D324994 Jentgen Mar 1992 S
5102169 Mayfield Apr 1992 A
D328246 Nottingham et al. Jul 1992 S
5145080 Imbery, Jr. Sep 1992 A
5165546 Jaeger et al. Nov 1992 A
5172936 Sullivan et al. Dec 1992 A
5178311 McBride Jan 1993 A
D333618 Patel et al. Mar 1993 S
5193032 Hirth Mar 1993 A
5204775 McDevitt Apr 1993 A
5215334 Presson et al. Jun 1993 A
5261702 Mayfield Nov 1993 A
D342452 Monaghan Dec 1993 S
D343360 Poo Jan 1994 S
5284363 Gartner et al. Feb 1994 A
5301802 Nemeroff Apr 1994 A
5301840 Sun Apr 1994 A
5309279 Halstead May 1994 A
5342093 Weernink Aug 1994 A
D350691 Simion Sep 1994 S
5343647 Bulka Sep 1994 A
5346069 Intini Sep 1994 A
D351796 Deddens Oct 1994 S
5351991 McDonald Oct 1994 A
D355125 Patel et al. Feb 1995 S
D355126 Paulovich et al. Feb 1995 S
D355363 Iorii et al. Feb 1995 S
5386795 Bartholomew Feb 1995 A
5403636 Crum Apr 1995 A
D360134 Snyder Jul 1995 S
5448844 Miller, Jr. et al. Sep 1995 A
5476420 Manning Dec 1995 A
5495944 Lermer Mar 1996 A
D370636 Crawford Jun 1996 S
5588239 Anderson Dec 1996 A
5601314 Burns et al. Feb 1997 A
5632420 Lohrman et al. May 1997 A
5642906 Foote et al. Jul 1997 A
5660138 Hirsch Aug 1997 A
5662239 Heuvelman Sep 1997 A
D389064 Sethi et al. Jan 1998 S
5704144 Groth Jan 1998 A
5704648 Brown et al. Jan 1998 A
5713681 Venne et al. Feb 1998 A
5718347 Walker et al. Feb 1998 A
5719828 Haas et al. Feb 1998 A
5729922 Peterson et al. Mar 1998 A
5730292 Jones Mar 1998 A
5758440 Yudin Jun 1998 A
5760975 DiGiovanni Jun 1998 A
D395828 Lecoule Jul 1998 S
5779072 Krebs Jul 1998 A
5788974 D'Amico et al. Aug 1998 A
5799815 Lang Sep 1998 A
5800144 Glenn et al. Sep 1998 A
5829789 Treleaven et al. Nov 1998 A
5887736 Mar Mar 1999 A
5918758 Galton-Fenzi Jul 1999 A
D413067 Haley Aug 1999 S
5980352 Rigberg Nov 1999 A
6003902 Petkovsek Dec 1999 A
D419077 Sultan Jan 2000 S
6023865 Preuss Feb 2000 A
D423361 Negre Apr 2000 S
D425427 Heeter et al. May 2000 S
6068300 Vijuk et al. May 2000 A
D427073 Gaffney et al. Jun 2000 S
6081392 Pensmith Jun 2000 A
6086702 Rea Jul 2000 A
D430802 Adachi et al. Sep 2000 S
6127013 Todd Oct 2000 A
6158779 Petrick Dec 2000 A
6171559 Sanders et al. Jan 2001 B1
6196593 Petrick et al. Mar 2001 B1
6209921 Hogan et al. Apr 2001 B1
6220439 Virvo Apr 2001 B1
6226564 Stuart May 2001 B1
6241844 Petkovsek Jun 2001 B1
D445338 Helleu Jul 2001 S
6253958 Coletti Jul 2001 B1
6270121 Dolan et al. Aug 2001 B1
6276725 Laurash et al. Aug 2001 B1
6278545 Napier Aug 2001 B1
D447694 Leggett Sep 2001 S
D451809 Jones Dec 2001 S
6360462 Mengel Mar 2002 B1
D456271 Maloney Apr 2002 S
6366401 Gonda et al. Apr 2002 B1
6367639 Mar Apr 2002 B1
6367640 Julian Apr 2002 B1
6379007 Farb Apr 2002 B1
D457063 Bakic May 2002 S
6386367 Bayliss, IV May 2002 B1
D459212 Gobe Jun 2002 S
6402872 Key Jun 2002 B1
6471391 Opitz Oct 2002 B1
6491164 Virvo Dec 2002 B1
6532117 Taylor Mar 2003 B2
6549345 Cardarelli Apr 2003 B1
D474690 Bakic May 2003 S
6568530 Takahashi et al. May 2003 B2
6594928 Clawson et al. Jul 2003 B1
D480002 Canepa Sep 2003 S
D480005 Conway Sep 2003 S
6621629 Blumenthal et al. Sep 2003 B2
D480960 Gray et al. Oct 2003 S
D481165 Angeletta Oct 2003 S
6669804 Pendry et al. Dec 2003 B2
D485764 Bakic Jan 2004 S
6681945 Harrold Jan 2004 B1
6712398 Fox et al. Mar 2004 B1
6722495 Fresnel Apr 2004 B2
6745505 Moran Jun 2004 B2
6752272 Jones et al. Jun 2004 B2
6789497 Aiken Sep 2004 B1
6793075 Jeter Sep 2004 B1
D497311 Walsh et al. Oct 2004 S
6860390 Bowman Mar 2005 B2
6860513 Kaufman Mar 2005 B2
6868627 Elias Mar 2005 B2
6923376 Gosden et al. Aug 2005 B2
6951353 Kozlowski et al. Oct 2005 B2
6964345 Wetherell, Jr. et al. Nov 2005 B2
D520365 Andoh May 2006 S
D522867 Bakic Jun 2006 S
7061831 De La Huerga Jun 2006 B2
D526569 Wurster et al. Aug 2006 S
D537349 Ball et al. Feb 2007 S
D539651 Snyder Apr 2007 S
D540179 Adler et al. Apr 2007 S
D540690 Adler et al. Apr 2007 S
D541159 Robinson Apr 2007 S
D542661 Adler et al. May 2007 S
7222736 Seijas May 2007 B1
7225052 Foote et al. May 2007 B2
7225937 Schroeder Jun 2007 B2
D550571 Diaz Sep 2007 S
D554999 Nukuto et al. Nov 2007 S
D555498 Bansal Nov 2007 S
7311205 Adler et al. Dec 2007 B2
D559117 Nukuto et al. Jan 2008 S
7320483 Eippert Jan 2008 B2
D566330 Angeletta Apr 2008 S
D572593 Adler et al. Jul 2008 S
D574717 Adler et al. Aug 2008 S
7413082 Adler et al. Aug 2008 B2
D581275 Adler et al. Nov 2008 S
D583242 Adler et al. Dec 2008 S
D594336 Adler Jun 2009 S
D597841 Adler et al. Aug 2009 S
7628427 Adler et al. Dec 2009 B2
7661533 Adler et al. Feb 2010 B2
7942451 Adler May 2011 B2
7980391 Adler et al. Jul 2011 B2
8025314 Adler Sep 2011 B2
20010017817 De La Huerga Aug 2001 A1
20010054817 Kelley et al. Dec 2001 A1
20020020088 Kreutner Feb 2002 A1
20020041091 Eippert Apr 2002 A1
20020063739 Gosden et al. May 2002 A1
20020085290 Taylor Jul 2002 A1
20020088732 Takahashi et al. Jul 2002 A1
20020129758 Hanley et al. Sep 2002 A1
20020162261 West et al. Nov 2002 A1
20020171238 Kozlowski et al. Nov 2002 A1
20020173875 Wallace et al. Nov 2002 A1
20030025320 Shoemaker Feb 2003 A1
20030028392 Davies Feb 2003 A1
20030091687 Copelan May 2003 A1
20030127351 Takahashi et al. Jul 2003 A1
20030147450 Witonsky et al. Aug 2003 A1
20030149599 Goodall et al. Aug 2003 A1
20030192211 Elias Oct 2003 A1
20030193181 Hung Oct 2003 A1
20030193185 Valley et al. Oct 2003 A1
20030205897 Kaufman Nov 2003 A1
20030214129 Adler Nov 2003 A1
20040045863 Rhoades Mar 2004 A1
20040050750 Hannan et al. Mar 2004 A1
20040056479 Fox et al. Mar 2004 A1
20040075272 Kaufman Apr 2004 A1
20040193454 Foote et al. Sep 2004 A1
20040232023 Bansal et al. Nov 2004 A1
20040237311 Brown et al. Dec 2004 A1
20050205513 Hidding Sep 2005 A1
20060016108 Watts Jan 2006 A1
20060163103 Adler et al. Jul 2006 A1
20060163110 Adler et al. Jul 2006 A1
20060163869 Adler et al. Jul 2006 A1
20070029788 Adler Feb 2007 A1
20070102316 Van Der Krogt et al. May 2007 A1
20080017602 Adler et al. Jan 2008 A1
20080264532 Wilson Oct 2008 A1
20090090688 Fruchter Apr 2009 A1
20100314351 Hoefling Dec 2010 A1
Foreign Referenced Citations (17)
Number Date Country
3723671 Aug 1988 DE
0146095 Jun 1985 EP
0316636 May 1989 EP
0609955 Apr 1998 EP
0609954 Jul 1998 EP
0924676 Jun 1999 EP
2296391 Jul 1976 FR
2006713 May 1979 GB
3004545 Jan 1991 JP
10297640 Nov 1998 JP
0028474 May 2000 WO
0063087 Oct 2000 WO
0064676 Nov 2000 WO
0145028 Jun 2001 WO
03098275 Nov 2003 WO
2004036481 Apr 2004 WO
2004048216 Jun 2004 WO
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2005/019401, dated Jan. 17, 2006, 15 pgs.
Supplemental European Search Report for EP Application No. 03724594.1, dated Nov. 29, 2010, 5 pgs.
The Medi-Dose Group, “Multi-Dose, Multi-Color, I.V. Bag Rings,” www.medidose.com/catalog/ivpharm/bagrings.html, publicly advertised online at least as early as Apr. 27, 2002, 1 pg.
Related Publications (1)
Number Date Country
20180261311 A1 Sep 2018 US
Continuations (3)
Number Date Country
Parent 14203146 Mar 2014 US
Child 15981554 US
Parent 13245625 Sep 2011 US
Child 14203146 US
Parent 10437474 May 2003 US
Child 13245625 US