Pharmaceutical Patient Information Leaflets (PILs)
The printing of patient information leaflets (PIL's) has become a significant area of production for Medica Packaging in recent years, and the trend is set to continue, with legislation raising the profile of the once humble PIL with regard to content, language requirements, and legibility. Systems at the company have been enhanced with these requirements in mind, with high volume web fed printing facilities and specialist miniature folding equipment now employed to ensure fast and accurate delivery of PIL's in production quantities well in the millions.
The graphic design team at Medica Packaging can help customers to create a patient care information leaflet with impact, and one that conforms to the very latest legal specification for such information. The pre-press department then takes over, creating printing plates with its dedicated computer-to-plate system for the sharpness of first generation image, and accuracy of image position for fast and straightforward printing on the press.
Presses at the Medica site dedicated to the printing of PIL's include two B2 format Heidelberg machines and a Myakoshi narrow web press. Both solutions are able to print leaflets in full or spot colour, or simple monochrome. Both sheetfed and web technologies are employed due to the size range of quantities required for PIL's. For quantities in the thousands, the B2 sheetfed press technology is ideal. For quantities running in to the millions, or for fast production on lightweight stocks, web printing is the only cost effective solution. High speed printing requires high speed drying, and the Myakoshi at Medica runs UV inks, with UV drying equipment ensuring that pharmaceutical leaflets are dry to the touch on delivery.
