QR Code as a Means of Creating the Rational Pharmaceutical Packaging of the Future

Pharmaceutical packaging fulfils protective, informational, ergonomic, marketing, and environmental functions; however, the paper leaflet has long ceased to meet the requirements of contemporary digital society, generating considerable environmental and economic costs at scale. Under Federal Law No. 61-FZ "On the Circulation of Medicinal Products," product information must be communicated to the consumer in an accessible and comprehensible form - a requirement that a digital format can fulfil far more effectively. This work proposes a concept of rational packaging comprising the replacement of the paper leaflet with an electronic version accessible via a QR code placed on the box or blister, together with the use of the biodegradable polymer PLA (polylactic acid) as the blister material. A survey of 153 respondents revealed that 72% do not read leaflets in full, 68% are willing to use a QR code, and 65% support a complete transition to electronic format. A comparative economic calculation of three packaging prototypes identified a saving of RUB 10.6 per unit when transitioning to digital format without changing the blister material, equivalent to more than RUB 1,060,000 and approximately 290,000 sheets of paper saved per batch of 100,000 units. Comparison with international research confirms the universal nature of the identified problems and the validity of the proposed solutions, which comply with GOST 17768-90, Federal Law No. 61-FZ, the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (14th edition), and align with European Medicines Agency and FDA documents on electronic patient information.