Once the medicine expires, this innovative packaging changes its appearance

Aug 6, 2013 16:41 GMT  ·  By

Scientists have recently finished work on an innovative packaging option that promises to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry.

Inhabitat reports that this newly-created packaging is best described as “self expiring.”

This is because, after a given period of time, it changes its appearance and starts displaying universally known symbols that indicate danger and inform people that the medicine can no longer be consumed.

The researchers who worked on developing this packaging material expect that their invention will help prevent elderly people and children from taking drugs that have expired.

They are also confident that, once their so-called “self expiring” packaging starts being used on a large scale, certain people will have a difficult time tricking others into buying expired medicine.

“The current solution of imprinting the expiration date on medicinal packaging is ineffective for multiple reasons including non-universal choice of language (such as English), small and unreadable font type, and loss of information with usage or wear and tear.

“The proposed solution uses a packaging material that will visually ‘self expire’ over a designated time period. It will prevent retailers from illegally selling expired medications for personal gains,” Red Dot explains.