Hi everyone,
I am sure a lot of people here are in a similar situation but I receive a lot of medication each month to take on a daily basis. I find it frustrating that although the medication is made to a specific design so that it can be identified, depending upon which company manufactures them, the packaging varies significantly if size and design. I was getting frustrated when I was given the larger packets as it is difficult to fit it all where I keep my medication.
I then started to wonder why on earth some of the medication boxes varied so much in size, some can be about four times the size of the others. The tablets inside are often in blister packs and again these packs vary a lot in size (although a large cardboard box does not always mean a large blister pack) despite containing the same amount of medication.
When I collected my meds last time I did ask my pharmacist but they are unable to request the smaller packs which made me wonder why this happens? I can understand that some people with limited dexterity might struggle with smaller packs of medicines so my require larger ones and there are probably agreed minimum standards for packaging with regards to the information that must be carried on the outside of the pack and the size of the lettering but why the variation in size?
I put the empty boxes in the recycling but the blister packs go into the rubbish. I know it is only a small part of my rubbish but as a nation we must produce tons of rubbish in this way. Does anyone have any idea about who I would write to see if anything can be done about this? I know that efficacy and the cost of the drugs are the main factor when the NHS purchases them but surely, if it was done over time, reducing the amount of packaging should reduce the production costs? It might also all then fit in my bedside cabinet?
Thanks,
Gragon xx
