Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Labelling

In the wide variety of pharmaceutical labelling applications, labels may be required to have special properties such as:

an adhesive with low leachable characteristics when labelling on a LDPE container with liquid drug inside tolerance of various sterilisation processes or at ambient storage conditions at -80 °C. super clear filmic products with luminescent detection properties strong materials for hanger labelling face materials that are thermal transfer printable void materials to secure product authenticity

Labelling small-diameter substrates

On small-diameter substrates, such as test tubes, syringes and vials, labelling requires special attention, especially when the diameter is below 15 mm.

Performance-wise, labelling glass test tubes differs significantly from labelling cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) test tubes. Overlapped labelling helps assure success, together with an appropriate combination of face material and adhesive.

The importance of traceability

Pharmaceutical products need to be traceable, and pharmaceutical packages usually have batch numbers and expiry dates printed on the label. Accordingly, the printability of the face material, often by thermal transfer, is important.  

• UPM Raflatac product chart for pharmaceutical labelling

Brochures:

• Opaque label materials
• Direct Thermal Specials
• Wash-off
• Safety First. Pharmaceutical Labelling by UPM Raflatac
• RP 31 Purus – The New Adhesive for Pharmaceuticals
• RP 31 Purus – Det nye klæbestof til lægemidler (Danish)

Product cards:

• Pharmalite
• RD 200 L
• RC 3P

Safety requirements and certificates

Labelling pharmaceutical products requires specialist face materials and adhesives that meet the requirements of the industry.

Self-adhesive laminates manufactured by UPM Raflatac are safe products in accordance with the material description given by EC Directive 2001/95/EC, Article 2(b).

Material safety data sheets as referred to in Directive 1999/45/EC, Article 14 and Directive 2001/58/EC are not applicable to self-adhesive materials.

The presence of heavy metals is a concern in many applications, including pharmaceutical. UPM Raflatac's products comply with legislation regarding the presence of heavy metals.

* Health and safety
Statement regarding the health and safety of UPM Raflatac's products

* Heavy metals
Certificate of conformance for levels of heavy metals in UPM Raflatac products