Sound Meds, an audio technology novelty that speaks to the patient!

Approximately 500,000 adverse events occur each year in the United States - according to research by the Institute of Medicine - as a consequence of misreading the package inserts of pharmaceutical products. In Italy, a survey by Altro Consumo found that 'understanding the contents of the package leaflet should be a way to safeguard one's health, but the obstacle, as mentioned, is readability' with predictable consequences on the person, who is unable to learn useful information correctly. Difficulties in reading small print are indeed very common and affect people of all cultural levels and social status.
The adoption of new technological means of communication, appropriately deployed in support of the correct
indications and contraindications for the use of health products, now allows a new stage of usefulness and facilitation, which becomes a form of support for patient adherence to the therapeutic prescription. The Sound Meds™ Service, applied to the product packaging, is an extraordinary proof of this, being able to put the patient in a position to benefit from medical information in a clear and audible form on their smartphone and tablet. The development of this project is part of SIFI's corporate programme to help the large number of visually impaired, elderly and ophthalmic patients overcome the obstacle of being unable or difficult to read the package leaflet.
From research carried out at an international level, the conception and use of the Sound Meds™ information sound module associated with pharmaceutical ophthalmic product packaging is the first experience of its kind in the world! The new sound illustration system for ophthalmic products is provided by the typographic printing of a QR code (QuickResponse Code) with an audio symbol, imprinted in large size on the outside of SIFI product packaging. A simple photographic click from smartphones and tablets on this symbol immediately generates a link to hear verbally, correctly and clearly for the patient, all the information necessary for the correct intake of the medicine. In addition, the accessibility system allows you to view the leaflet on the screen of your device in web and pdf format, with the possibility of enlarging the reading characters.
The Sound Meds™ service will be launched in inaugural form together with three ophthalmic products selected by SIFI. This launch will be supported by a comprehensive media communication campaign. Particular attention will also be paid to professional information for the roles of the medical representative, ophthalmologist and pharmacist. It is expected that the service will be increasingly applied across SIFI's product portfolio.
With Sound Meds™ SIFI is at the forefront of national and international information on the correct use of health products.

References:
1) "CMDh position paper on the use of QR codes to provide information about the medicinal product" Doc. Ref:
CMDh/313/2014, Rev0 April 2014.
Document provided byHMA (Heads of Medicines Agencies)

2) 'Guideline on the readability of the labelling and packageleaflet of medicinal productsfor human use'
Document provided by the European Commission website