Why plastic ampoules are becoming increasingly popular in the pharmaceutical industry

Plastic ampoules are gaining high traction in emerging economies where the demand for low-cost packaging is significantly high.

Traditionally, glass was used for the manufacturing of ampoules. However, plastic is an abundantly available low-cost material and therefore its use reduces the cost of ampoules. Low cost is actually one of the primary winning imperatives of plastic ampoules over its alternatives.

The global plastic ampoules market was valued at US$ 186.6 Mn in 2019, and the market is forecast to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.3% during the forecast period, 2019-2027.

Plastic as a material offers many other advantages than price when compared to glass, including but not limited to, greater design flexibility, and higher dimensional accuracy in manufacturing. Additionally, plastic ampoules are often the preferred choice for premium products that require extreme protection from foreign particles interference.

Unit dose parenteral packaging is often chosen by consumers over multi-dose packaging. In the United States, as per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, unit dose plastic ampoules for pharmaceutical packaging account for almost 24%, are expected to generate above-average growth opportunities and are likely to lead the pharmaceutical packaging type in terms of value.

The pharmaceutical packaging market is projected to register the highest pace in the Asia Pacific region and accounts for around 22% of the global pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry has a significant impact on the plastic ampoules market, being the major end-user of ampoules.

Ease of administration and increased patient compliance

The use of plastic ampoules eliminates the need for tearing and cutting the top of the package in order to dispense the dose, making it easier for the user to dispense the content in a controlled manner. Key factors driving the demand for plastic ampoules are an increase in the geriatric population suffering from several chronic diseases, as well as the lower cost of plastic ampoules.

Reduced drug overfill in plastic ampoules

Plastic ampoules offer fixed dosages which help pharmaceutical companies to control costs by reducing drug overfill, and inefficiencies in the manufacturing process as a result. As single dose or multi-dose plastic ampoules offer correct filling dose, this compensates for human errors. Therefore, the use of plastic ampoules is particularly advantageous for companies dealing with costly drugs.