Active and Passive Packaging for Pharmaceuticals

Active and Passive packaging are specialized packaging that provides a temperature-controlled environment for various purposes such as transporting pharmaceutical products. They prevent affecting the pharma products from environmental conditions that are not suitable for medicines such as Hot and Cold temperatures.

It is normal for medicines and other pharma products to contain material that depends on specific temperature conditions for their optimum performance. If the required temperature deviates from the desired levels, pharma products lose efficacy.

In the manufacturing facility, the temperature is accurately maintained by utilizing different systems such as HVAC and Cleanroom technology. However, as the product is finished and dispatched to the destination, temperature control during transportation becomes difficult.

Temperature control containers are used to provide the desired environmental conditions during transportation. These containers can control the temperature of the inside environment to match the product-specific requirement.

There are two types of temperature-controlled packaging used in transporting medicines and pharma products – Active and Passive packaging. The division of these types of pharmaceutical packaging is based on the method of temperature control inside a packaging. 

Active Packaging

Active packaging is the type that uses some external form of controlling techniques to maintain the desired temperature. The temperature can be retained as long as the control mechanism works satisfactorily, without time limitation. Since active packaging requires an external system to maintain the temperature, these are expensive Packaging systems.

Active packaging systems can provide both heating and cooling, depending upon the product requirements. The cooling and heating methods typically rely on the size and application of the packaging container.

Electrical heaters most often provide heating. Power is required for the heaters to operate and is provided by battery packs. The external power supply can also be used, where available.

Cooling is often provided with refrigeration systems that require electrical power to operate. Some variants of refrigeration systems also use fuel power to manage.

Advantages of Active Packaging

An active packaging system is costly and requires many resources to acquire and operate. However, obvious advantages give them an edge over other packaging systems. Let’s look at some benefits of Active Packaging in the pharmaceutical industry

Higher Temperature Accuracy and Stability

Active packaging has higher temperature accuracy than passive packaging. The use of temperature control techniques enables them to maintain the desired levels inside the packaging in all environmental conditions such as Extreme Hot or Cold weather. This is a critical factor because, during transportation, the packaging has to go through regions of different climatic conditions that can affect the temperature levels inside the packaging. Additionally, some medicines such as bioproducts cannot tolerate even a slight deviation in the storage conditions. Active packaging through specialized techniques can maintain the medicine's favorable conditions with higher accuracy and stability.

Accurate Temperature Management

Active packaging systems can self-adjust internal temperature in response to changing temperature outside. The temperature adjustment can be made automatically without human involvement by using different components such as Monitoring Sensors and Main Controller.

Long duration and Long distances

Active packaging can handle the transportation of pharma products on longer routes without affecting product efficacy and properties. Temperature control techniques can maintain the desired environmental levels without any time limit, as long as the system works satisfactorily.

Similarly, features of active packaging can also be used to transport medicines on longer distances without affecting the properties of the medicine.

Simple and Ease of operation

Active packaging is often ready to use and simple to pack without requiring additional accessories. These do not require specialized preparation to transport the pharma product. They are constructed with standard features such as dimensions heating or cooling capacity and can be used on the go. Active packaging requires Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to follow, which depends on various factors such as Product type, regulatory requirements, and the specific region for which the product is being transported.

Dis advantages of Active Packaging

Some disadvantages of the active packaging are briefed below

· Active Packaging are costly and require more investment to operate.

· These packaging system also requires regular maintenance for satisfactory working of accurately controlling temperature.

Passive Packaging

Passive packaging is a conventional packing done outside of the pharma product. These types of packing consist of insulating material that can withstand different climatic and temperature changes to protect the pharma product. A typical example of active packaging includes thermal sheet wrap around pharma medicine.

Passive packaging only requires preparation and arrangements in the beginning. Once packed, these systems do not need additional configurations and settings to adjust temperature requirements, such as increasing or decreasing the packaging temperature range.

They cannot respond against varying temperature conditions, no matter how sensitive pharma product is packed inside them. They can only handle the temperature condition to which the packaging system is designed.

There are different passive packaging systems – Water Packs and Phase Change Materials are the most common. Insulation materials are also an example of passive packaging that can provide temperature control function.

Water Packs must be frozen for sufficient time to be completely frozen before their use. Otherwise, it will limit the temperature control function.

Phase Change Materials are an advanced form of passive packaging that works on the principle of latent heat. These materials absorb and release latent heat when they undergo a phase change, such as solid to liquid. This capability frees them of freezing requirements before every use.

Advantages of Passive Packaging

Some advantages of Passive Packaging include the following

No external power is required for its functioning: Passive packaging does not need an external power source, as its thermal capabilities depend on the material itself being used. For this reason, passive packaging is applicable irrespective of the external power source availability.

Cost-effective Option: Passive packaging uses passive materials for its application and requires no additional accessories, components, or external power requirements. For this reason, these are more cost-effective than the active packaging system. They provide perfect options under budgetary conditions.

Packaging in all sizes: Passive packaging is available in all dimensions and sizes, from a full container to parcel size, and simultaneously providing heating or cooling requirements.

Dis advantages of Passive Packaging

There are also some disadvantages of passive packaging, but it does not means that these are not used. Some disadvantages that passive packaging include, but not limited to the following

Tighter temperature control: Passive packaging has a tighter temperature control range, much less than active packaging. This is because the material used in the passive packaging can only withstand a limited temperature range. Additional temperature can only be included by changing the packaging design, which is only possible during its manufacturing stage.

Shorter Duration of time: Passive packaging can only be used for a shorter period of time as long as the material can effectively provide temperature control capabilities. Once the material has reached its maximum temperature capacity, the passive packaging must undergo some process to gain the capabilities of temperature control properties.

Shorter Distances of transportation: Passive packaging systems cannot be used for longer transportation routes due to their inability to retain temperatures for more extended periods. Instead, they are only effective on shorter routes. If used on longer routes, the packaging will lose its ability, and will damage the product.

Active Vs Passive Packaging

As mentioned above, both Active and Passive packaging have advantages and disadvantages. However, they are still the preferred form of packaging during pharma product transportation. The selection of active or passive packaging depends on various factors. Some of the elements are briefed below.

Product 

Product type is a critical factor in selecting the packaging system during transportation. A product such as Bio-product requires specific temperature ranges for its optimum efficacy. If suitable environmental conditions are not provided to these critical products, the product fails to deliver its Therapeutic effect. The same is the case with lifesaving drugs requiring a particular temperature for optimum performance.

Active packaging is a preferred form of packaging in the case of the drug mentioned above types. Active packaging can provide strict temperature control without any significant deviation. Otherwise, passive packaging is enough for the transportation of the pharma product.

If the pharma product does not have any critical or lifesaving characteristics, passive packaging can be effectively used during their transportation.

Intermediate Conditions

Intermediate conditions refer to the availability of the required conditions after the product’s delivery. For example, if the recipient’s warehouse does not have a temperature control feature, active packaging can be used to provide intermediate temperature control conditions. 

Similarly, if some delays are expected in product delivery, for example, due to legal clearance, the active packaging selection can be considered.

Shipping Routes and Duration

Shipping distance and duration are also critical factors in determining the packaging types. If the shipping distance is long, it can affect the pharma product in delivering its results, and the same is the case with the longer shipping durations.

Active packaging systems can be considered in case of longer distances to protect the product because they can provide a temperature control environment for greater than a day. If the distance is shorter and the product is not temperature sensitive, passive packaging systems can be considered for its transportation. 

About the Author:

Muhammad Asim Niazi has a vast experience of about 11 years in a Pharmaceutical company. During his tenure he worked in their different departments and had been part of many initiatives within the company. He now uses his experience and skill to write interested content for audiences at PharmaSources.com.