Denna rapport undersöker hur läkemedelsförpackningar, genom sin grafiska utformning, kan bli tydligare i sin kommunikationsförmåga. Detta grundar sig i det problem som idag finns kring felmedicinering på grund av läkemedelsförväxlingar. Målet har varit att ta fram riktlinjer för designen av läkemedelsförpackningar för att bidra till en ökad patientsäkerhet.

The purpose of this thesis was based on visual rhetoric theory to examine how design agencies experience the design of over-the-counter drug packaging, what challenges they face, and with which rhetorical appeals they convince consumers, while they relate to the non-art-related conditions, the Swedish Medical Products Agency’s regulations (SMPA). The objective was based on previous research that has begun a discourse on the phenomenon and that designers previously has expressed a lack of dialogue in the graphic expression of over-the-counter drug packaging with the SMPA. To investigate the phenomenon semi-structured interviews was conducted with six professions of five different design agencies whose area of expertise was health and pharmaceutical communication. The results showed that the designers' biggest challenges was to find the balance between the visually attractive as well as the patient safe and reliable graphic expression. The results also showed a challenge in the absence of direct communication with the SMPA in the design process. Such communications had facilitated the process as a dialogue for the graphic expression and its effect on a patient safe packaging, had been possible. The elements in the design process that the respondents considered most essential to persuade the consumers were colors and illustrations. These elements could be widely applied without violating the rules.

Vi har genomfört en kvalitativ pilotstudie, där syftet har varit att dels fånga apotekspersonals kunskaper och erfarenheter om kassering av läkemedel från allmänheten, samt dels att se vilka eventuella hinder och möjligheter som apotekspersonal identifierar i området. Vi har genomfört semistrukturerade intervjuer för att besvara studiens syfte. Respondenterna består av apotekare som är berättigade att hantera receptbelagda läkemedel. Därefter har empiriskt material analyserats med inspiration av analysmetoderna Kodningsprocessen & Datakodning. Följaktligen är analysen uppdelad i följande teman: information, förpackningar och ekonomi, samt följande underteman: hinder, möjligheter och ansvar. Vår pilotstudie slutsatsatser är att apotekspersonal erfarar att kassationer av läkemedel från allmänheten har ökat, delvis p.g.a. ett ökat miljöintresse samt ökad medvetenhet. Apotekspersonal upplever även att kassationer av läkemedel har ökat p.g.a. hinder såsom att läkare förskriver för stora läkemedelsförpackningar och inte informerar patienter om korrekt avfallshantering. Vad gäller möjligheter för att minska mängden kasserade läkemedel har apotekspersonal identifierat att fler startförpackningar behöver förskrivas och att informationsspridning behöver ske på olika sätt såsom exempelvis via TV, radio eller sociala medier / This pilot study has been conducted with a qualitative approach, where the purpose has been to capture the knowledge and experiences of pharmaceutics regarding medical waste disposal from the public. The purpose has also been to identify which obstacles and opportunities pharmaceutics can identify within the field. 3 To answer the study's research questions we conducted semi-structured interviews. The participants consist of pharmacists who are entitled to handle prescription drugs. Thereafter, the empirical material has been analyzed with analysis methods with inspiration from Coding process & Data coding. Lastly, the analysis was divided into the following themes: information, packaging, and finance, and the following sub-themes were: obstacles, opportunities and responsibilities. The conclusions of this pilot study are that pharmacists experience that the medical waste from the public is increasing, partly because of increased environmental awareness. Pharmacists also experience that medical drug disposal has increased because of obstacles such as doctors prescribing large drug packages and not informing patients about proper waste disposal. In terms of opportunities to reduce the amount of discarded medicines, pharmacists have identified that more starter packages of prescription drugs need to be prescribed. They have also identified that information through different ways, such as via TV, radio or social media can be an opportunity to reduce the amount of discarded medicines.

Syftet med detta projekt var att identifiera om en implementering av en standardisering för receptbelagda läkemedelsförpackningar, skulle kunna bidra till en minskad risk gällande feldosering eller felmedicinering av patient. Resultatet av studien konstaterar att en standardisering för ordinationer har större effekt. / The purpose of this project was to identify if an implementation of a standardization for prescription drugs packaging, could contribute to a reduced risk of error when medicating a patient with prescription drugs and dosage. The outcome of the study states that a standardization for prescriptions has a bigger impact.