SnapSlide’s inclusive design benefits individuals with limited mobility or dexterity, enhancing medication access and safety.
SnapSlide, LLC
Top 3 takeaways:
SnapSlide Rx enables single-handed operation on prescription pill bottles.
The design reduces the plastic used in both the cap and bottle by ≈25% per unit.
SnapSlide’s design has been awarded a 2024 IoPP AmeriStar Award.
SnapSlide® Rx from SnapSlide LLC launched this year out of the company’s headquarters in Scranton, PA. SnapSlide Rx is a no-torque child-resistant cap with a patented sliding mechanism that enables single-handed operation on prescription pill bottles. This inclusive design benefits individuals with limited mobility or dexterity, enhancing medication access and safety. The state-of-the-art closure mechanism integrates seamlessly into existing pharmaceutical packaging, meeting stringent safety standards. It’s these achievements that have netted the company a 2024 IoPP AmeriStar Award.
Improving accessibility
The new medication package is the brainchild of Rocky Batzel, Inventor & CEO of SnapSlide. While he was attending medical school, the young entrepreneur sought to find a solution to a family problem. As Batzel explains, his mother pointed out the difficulty his grandmother had trying to open her pill bottles herself. This led him to research the traditional pill bottle package, and child-resistant closures, which he realized hadn't changed much in over half a century.
He also realized that people with limited dexterity, such as those with arthritis, struggle with these closures as well. The idea to make SnapSlide Rx one hand operable came to him when he saw an amputee struggling to open a wine bottle. Batzel knew that making the closure one hand operable would help the millions of people who struggle to independently open their own medication bottles. He also wanted the cap to remain on the bottle during opening, and while being easy to open, would also be child resistant. These goals are what led to the development of a sliding mechanism for the cap.
“The primary goal was to improve access to medication for those with limited dexterity, such as individuals with one arm or suffering from arthritis,” says Batzel.
Whether it is people with a broken arm, suffering from a stroke, a spinal cord injury, or amputees, SnapSlide helps people be more independent by allowing for single-handed operation.
Reducing plastic
By removing the need for threads, SnapSlide’s design reduces the plastic used in both the cap and bottle—about 25% per unit.SnapSlide, LLCIf improving medication accessibility was the primary goal of SnapSlide Rx, sustainability and simplicity were the next goals. Batzel says he sought out to create a scalable solution with a simple design and reduced plastic use.
“By removing the need for threads, we've reduced the plastic used in both the cap and bottle. This results in significant plastic savings—about 25% per unit. Given the industry's scale, this translates to millions of pounds of plastic saved annually,” says Batzel.
Additionally, the reduced plastic usage improves shipping efficiency, saving on cardboard boxes and truckloads.
The manufacturing process is similar to traditional methods, involving injection molding for both the cap and the bottle. The cap and slider then come together with some automation equipment. Then, the bottles and caps ship to pharmacies where the same filling and labeling methods apply.
“The simplicity of SnapSlide allows it to be scalable and cost-effective, making it a viable solution for the industry,” says Chason Sordoni, COO of the company.
Facing challenges
An invention is never without its trials, or resistance, as Sordoni and Batzel describe how pharmacies and over-the-counter (OTC) companies are often set in their ways, making them hesitant to adopt new technologies.
“One of the significant challenges has been overcoming resistance to change within the industry,” says Sordoni.
But one thing that may help spur change is the overwhelmingly positive feedback from consumers and pharmacists alike.
“I have received heartfelt thanks from individuals with disabilities who can now open their medication bottles independently,” says Sordoni.
He says that pharmacists have also expressed appreciation, noting that it makes their jobs easier and helps them better serve their communities. During a recent conversation, a pharmacist mentioned that he often has to send delivery drivers back to customers' homes to help them open bottles that they can't open themselves.
SnapSlide Rx is a no-torque child-resistant cap with a patented sliding mechanism that enables single-handed operation.SnapSlide, LLCLooking to the future
The company’s next target is the OTC market, which includes products like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Since this market requires an induction seal, the team at SnapSlide are in the process of developing a specific solution for their bottle.
Then the company must focus on scalability, working on optimizing production processes to handle large volumes efficiently. The goal is to be fully prepared to scale up as more pharmacies and OTC companies adopt SnapSlide. Overall, the focus remains on creating solutions that are both user-friendly and environmentally sustainable. They believe that the principles behind SnapSlide can be applied to a wide range of products, making everyday tasks easier for millions of people.
SnapSlide’s design has been recognized in the Drug & Pharmaceutical category of the recent 2024 IoPP AmeriStar Honors.
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