I have just returned from an event in France which, I have to say, really impressed me. Not because I had the perfect excuse to visit Paris for a couple of days (although that was undoubtedly a bonus), but because I was so impressed by the calibre of presentations and new innovations that were showcased from this relatively small meeting.

Dedicated solely to innovations in the pharmaceutical drug delivery and packaging industry, Pharmapack 2010, with its 224 exhibitors and 2550 visitors, was a breath of fresh air. Every exhibitor, from the small consultancy firms through to the multinational powerhouses, were housed in similarly sized booths within the bright and airy venue of the Paris Grande Halle de la Villette, and I think this made for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Exhibitors were naturally restricted by the small exhibition space offered to them; they were less able to show off their latest technologies. But I do believe this made for a more relaxed atmosphere, primarily because voices were not drowned out by the whirring and pumping of machinery, but also because the smaller firms were able to stand as equals alongside their multi million- and billion-dollar revenue-generating counterparts. It is always great to see the fruits of our industry’s labor in action, but this meeting made for a refreshing change. 

So apart from enjoying the friendly atmosphere (and the fact that my feet did not feel as though they had been pierced by needles by the end of the day), I was wowed by some of the latest and greatest developments in the packaging and drug delivery industries. The packaging, labeling and security buzzwords that were flying around the event included: child-resistant, patient compliance, intelligent, sustainable, laser and diffractive coding, electronic monitoring, RFID, 3D product inspection, and more. Meanwhile, sustainable, disposable and environmentally-friendly solutions were the keywords used to highlight the areas where many of the drug delivery companies are currently concentrating their development efforts.

Rest assured that we will be reporting on some of the most exciting developments from the event over the coming months. One thing I can assure you is that our industry continues to innovate and the packaging and drug delivery solutions of tomorrow look fantastic!