Medical Design Briefs - August 2023 - 31

Prefilled Syringes
RFID Labels Enhance Tracking of Prefilled Syringes
Combination syringes and smart labels optimize hospital routines.
S
chreiner MediPharm, a Germany-based provider of innovative
functional label solutions for the healthcare industry,
has partnered with SCHOTT Pharma, a specialist
in drug-containment and -delivery solutions for medications,
to develop a solution to equip prefilled syringes with RFID.
Among other applications, the combination syringe and smart
label opens broad opportunities to optimize hospital routines.
Previously, the ongoing partnership between Schreiner and
SCHOTT had been focused primarily on equipping cyclic olefin
copolymer (COC) syringes with analog functional labels.
With this latest effort, the two pharmaceutical packaging experts
are digitizing prefilled syringes. What differentiates the
new RFID-Labels is the combination of conventional product
information marking and the application of unique, digital
identifiers for each unit.
This enables optimized processes in hospital inventory management,
patient care, and documentation, as well as the digital
identification of medications and medical devices. In addition,
digital first-opening indication to protect the integrity of
the syringe can be incorporated.
To successfully implement this innovation - and to ensure
reliable RFID functionality pertaining to performance and
range - various characteristics of the prefilled syringe must
be considered. Aside from materials such as COC, polypropylene,
or glass, each of which can affect range and trouble-free
reading of the tag, syringe size, and diameter play a key role:
The smaller the syringe, the less space for product marking and
integration of the RFID chip. Plus, smaller tags typically yield
shorter read ranges. In addition, syringe curvature may affect
performance, especially in the case of small diameters.
The dielectric properties of the medications contained in the
syringe also play a role. In particular, water-based active ingredients
can have a negative impact on a tag's radio transmission
performance. This requires precise positioning of the RFID-Label
and integrated inlay according to the liquid and fill level. Additionally,
special data standards for identification and unit-level
tracking - such as UnitVisID or GS1, which enable all relevant
stakeholders to interpret and use the data - must be considered,
as well as integration in the respective infrastructure.
The lock-and-key principle ensures that a medical device and
its consumables, for example a drug, belong together without
any doubt. The device is equipped with an RFID reader (= lock).
It reads a consumable equipped with an RFID label (= key) automatically
and contactless. The data stored on the RFID chip
ensures that only original products are used. The lock-and-key
principle increases patient safety during self-medication and
drug administration, prevents the use of expired, wrong, or
counterfeit medicines and consumables, and helps avoid application
and dosing errors.
Schreiner MediPharm and SCHOTT Pharma can adapt the
solution to a customer's specific requirements, to ensure optimal
functionality from production to final use. This helps
enhance product safety and avoid potential medication errors.
The new solution from Schreiner MediPharm and SCHOTT
Pharma was presented for the first time at the PDA Universe
of Pre-filled Syringes and Injection Devices Conference, October
18-19 in Palm Springs, CA. At the event, Arne Rehm,
Senior Product Manager, RFID/NFC Solutions, at Schreiner
MediPharm, and Tom van Ginneken, head of global product
management for SCHOTT TOPPAC®, delivered a joint presentation,
" Making Pre-filled Syringes Smart. "
For more information on Schreiner MediPharm, e-mail info@
schreiner-medipharm.com or visit www.schreiner- medipharm.
com. For more information on SCHOTT Pharma, visit www.
schott-pharma.com.
The combination syringe and smart label opens opportunities
to optimize hospital routines.
Medical Design Briefs, August 2023
Watch the video to learn more about how the new RFID-Labels combine conventional product
information marking with the application of unique, digital identifiers for each unit.
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http://www.schreiner-medipharm.com http://www.schreiner-medipharm.com http://www.schott-pharma.com http://www.schott-pharma.com http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
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