Bulk labeling method

• US 20050071044A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ccl Label Incorporated (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ccl Label Incorporated (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yonge, James A., Oosterlinck, Marc F.
• Application Number:
  US10/674,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071044A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/50 using icons or symbolic figures, e.g. by a graphical representation symbolising the type of pathology or the organ by an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0289 Pull- or fold-out labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0294 where the change is not permanent, e.g. labels only readable under a special light, temperature indicating labels and the like

Abstract

A method for authenticating the contents of containers. The method utilizes a security label including a removable piggyback label having an authentication feature. The method generally includes: obtaining a bulk container with contents stored therein, the container labeled with the security label and the authentication feature indicative of the contents; transferring at least a portion of the contents from the bulk container to a consumer container; and transferring the piggyback label having the authentication feature to the consumer container to verify the authenticity of the transferred contents. This method is useful when transferring pharmaceutical products from a bulk container to individual consumer containers because consumers can be confident that the pharmaceuticals stored by their containers are authentic.

Claims

1. A method for filling a prescription with at least a portion of pharmaceutical contents stored in a bulk container, comprising:

transferring pharmaceutical contents from the bulk container to a consumer container, the bulk container being labeled with a security label, the security label including a primary label adhered to the bulk container and a piggyback label having an identification feature, the piggyback label removably secured to the primary label;

removing the piggyback label from the bulk container;

applying the piggyback label to the consumer container so that the consumer container is labeled with the identification feature, wherein the identification feature enables a consumer to confirm that the contents of the consumer container are authentic.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising reviewing a prescription for a pharmaceutical product, the pharmaceutical product identical to the pharmaceutical contents of the bulk container.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the prescription prescribes a number of units of the pharmaceutical product, and wherein the transferring step includes transferring the number of units from the bulk container to the consumer container.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the security label includes an expanded content device including a page.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the piggyback label is secured to the page.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising accessing the piggyback label by folding the page out from the expanded content device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the security label includes indicia chosen from the group consisting of a lot number, a number of units of pharmaceutical product in the bulk container, a number of units of pharmaceutical product transferable to the consumer container, a mass, a volume, an expiration date, a product identifier and a manufacturer.

8. A method for filling containers, comprising:

obtaining a first container including contents associated therewith, said first container labeled with a primary label including a piggyback label having an authentication feature;

obtaining a second container that is substantially empty;

transferring at least a portion of the contents from the first container to the second container;

transferring the piggyback label having the authentication feature to the second container to verify the authenticity of the transferred contents.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the contents are pharmaceutical products and comprising quantitatively measuring the pharmaceutical products before said content transferring step.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said quantitatively measuring includes at least one of weighing, counting, and measuring the volume of said pharmaceutical products.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said primary label includes instructions for removing the piggyback label and transferring it to the second container.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the security label includes an expanded content device including a page.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the piggyback label is secured to the page.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising accessing the piggyback label by folding the page away from the bulk container.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of primary label and the piggyback label includes indicia chosen from the group consisting of a lot number, a number of units of pharmaceutical product in the first container, a number of units of pharmaceutical product transferable to the second container, a mass, a volume, an expiration date, a product identifier and a manufacturer.

16. A method of supplying pharmaceutical containers, comprising:

labeling a bulk container adapted to store a first supply of pharmaceutical products with a security label, the security label including a primary label adhered to the bulk container and a plurality of piggyback labels, each piggyback label having an authentication feature and removably secured to the primary label;

providing the labeled bulk container to a user, the user having access to a plurality of secondary containers adapted to store a second supply of pharmaceutical products, said second supply less in at least one of quantity of units, volume, and weight than the first supply;

instructing the user to transfer at least one of the piggyback labels to at least one of the secondary containers when at least a portion of the first supply of pharmaceutical products is transferred from the bulk container to the secondary container, wherein the piggyback label transferred to the secondary container confirms for a subsequent consumer that the pharmaceutical products in the secondary container are authentic.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of primary label and the piggyback label includes indicia chosen from the group consisting of a lot number, a number of units of pharmaceutical product in the bulk container, a number of units of pharmaceutical product transferable to the secondary container, a mass, a volume, an expiration date, a product identifier and a manufacturer.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the primary label includes an expanded content device.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising instructing the user to open the expanded content device to access the piggyback labels.