ACCESSIBLE PACKAGING

R. GreiffUtveckling, Reumatikerf, Stockholm, SwedenPackaging is a very large problem in the daily lives of both many rheumatism sufferers and also for other groups in society. 15-20% of the population has problems with reduced use or less strength of their hands and consequently have trouble opening, to dose and close the packages which are available in shops. The Swedish Rheumatism Association is presently working to establish an international accessible packaging standard and create an ''accessibility'' symbol that can indicate accessible packaging.The objective is that as soon the method is fully developed there should be more packages that pass the accessibility testing. As in many other contexts, product development which is based on the living conditions of people with functional impairments also benefits the rest of the population. In this way it benefits to the consumer avail and the companies also benefit commercially.In 2005 we will have a standard ready for cans with lid, injectors and some other categories of packages. We will also establish a network for Nordic cooperation and create the accessibility symbol in 2005.The method for accessibility testing is developed in collaboration with the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute (SP), the Swedish Institute of Food and Biotechnology (SIK), Spenshult''s rheumatism hospital, the Swedish Handicap Institute and the company About Design. The methods we use in accessibility testing are focus groups, a boundary panel and an analytical panel. The objective is to create a universal method that can be applied to all packaging. The critical point is to find the level where the market find it interesting and useful, but at the same time not too high because then it won''t be commercially profitable.A broad support and cooperation is necessary. Therefore we have included authorities and many partners in the work. "The Swedish Consumer Agency", Swedish Disability Federation, the Swedish Consumers'' Association, PRO Pensioners National Organisation and SPF, the Swedish Association for Senior Citizens.The Pharmaceutical pricing board in Sweden decides the price and subsidy level of pharmaceuticals. They support the objective of the project and they say that when there are objective grounds for assessing an added value it is also reasonable that development costs which give added value influence prices and subsidies.Results: Abbott, Tetra Pak and AstraZeneca are the pilot companies which we work together with. They are partly prepared to test the packaging from the accessibility point of view and are partly prepared to support the method development work by evaluating their development results in collaboration with us. In this way the pilot companies will also have the opportunity to be the first to get accessible packaging on the market.2005 is the Year of Design in Sweden. Our project has been given a lot of attention in the press and from other stakeholders.Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 64, supplement III, year 2005, page 606Session: Best practice in relationship between patient organisations & the pharmaceutical industry