Medication errors continue to be a structural problem in health systems. In Spain, they cause around 8,000 deaths a year, according to data from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy and patient safety organizations. A relevant part of these errors is due to the so-called “isoappearance”: the similarity between packaging, names or designs of different medications, which makes their correct identification difficult, especially among older people with multiple treatments.
In this context, VML Health, part of VML The Cocktail, has developed “The Safe Pack” for Tu Pharma 365. It is a system of adaptable sashes that are placed on medication boxes and allow them to be clearly and immediately differentiated, regardless of the patient’s level of knowledge or visual ability.
The development of the solution is based on an analysis of the most prescribed medications in Spain, which showed a high homogeneity in dimensions, colors and graphic styles. Based on this diagnosis, the team applied gerontological design principles, aimed at adapting products to the cognitive and visual abilities of older people, transferring these criteria to the pharmaceutical field.
Thus, the system incorporates high-contrast color codes, highly legible fonts, associative iconography according to the use of the medication and matte finishes that improve visibility in low lighting conditions. In this way, medications that previously could have been indistinguishable become easily identifiable, reducing the risk of error in taking.
“The goal is that something as important as taking the correct medication does not depend on reading small print or remembering complex names.”explains Natxo Díaz, Global Head of Craft at VML. “With The Safe Pack, a patient can quickly identify which medication they are taking, thus preventing their life from being at risk.”
The system will begin to be implemented in the coming weeks in 20 pharmacies in Spain, distributed in Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León and Madrid, through the Tu Pharma 365 network. In addition, the designs will be available as free downloadable templates, expanding its reach and facilitating its adoption in other environments.
