Pharmaceutical packaging sales demand in the U.S., including Puerto Rico, is forecast to rise 5.5% annually to $16 billion by 2012, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group. Leading the gains will be regulations and standards addressing issues including barrier protection, infection control, patient drug compliance, drug dispensing errors, and drug counterfeiting.
The report, "Pharmaceutical Packaging," explains that an increased focus on these issues will drive growth for container accessories, especially parenteral vials and flip-top closures, plastic dispensing bottles and closures, prefillable inhalers and syringes, track-and-trace and authentication labels, and unit-dose pouches. Other key findings include the following:
• Advances in biotechnology will lead growth in prefillable syringes and vials, driving demand for primary pharmaceutical containers by 5.2% annually to $9.6 billion by 2012.
• Plastic bottles will remain the most-used pack for oral drugs distributed in bulk and prescription-dose volumes to retail and mail-order pharmacies.
• The market for pharmaceutical pouches will grow quickly, spurred by unit-dose packaging of transdermal patches, powders for reconstitution, and topical creams and ointments.
• Prefillable inhaler demand will rise as a result of asthma, allergy, and migraine patient needs.
• Aesthetic and barrier-property improvements will keep tubes a leading primary container for topical medication.
The 319-page report is available for $4,700 by contacting Corinne Gangloff at 440/684-9600 or pr@freedoniagroup.com.
