GB1260063A - Label for use in blind clinical studies of a medicament - Google Patents

Abstract

1,260,063. Labels. MERCK & CO. Inc. 17 Sept., 1970 [17 Sept., 1969], No. 44472/70. Heading B8F. Printed information on a panel 32 of a label 30 (Fig. 2) is obscured by folding an upper panel 31 downwards to cover the information. A further panel 33 is folded back to underly panel 32, both panels 31 and 33 being substantially covered with ink to prevent information on panel 32 being read by holding the label up to the light. A side panel 37 is folded either before or after folding panel 31, and the panel 34 is folded down to overly panel 32. Finally short panel 35 is folded to underly panel 32. The folded label is secured by adhesive applied along margin 31b and on panel 37, and also along the margins of panels 33-35 on the rear surface of the blank. A further panel 36 is detachably secured to panel 32 and bears common identifying indicia with the front of panel 34. Alternatively, the rear surface of the blank may be coated with heat-sensitive adhesive and the right- and left-hand margins of panels 31 removed, panel 37 being omitted. After folding, the label is compressed and heated to seal the panels together. In a further heat-sealed modification the panel 35 may be omitted and all three margins of panel 31 may be reduced in size. The fourth panel (equivalent to panel 34) may be provided to the right of panel 33, panels 37 and 35 being omitted, and the right and top margins of panel 31 removed. After folding panel 33 to underly panel 32, the fourth panel is folded round the right-hand edge of the label to overly panel 32, and the label heat sealed as before. Finally, the blank may only comprise four panels (Figs. 13 and 14, not shown) corresponding to panels 31-33 and 36, and the common identifying indicia are printed on the rear of the top panel. Adhesive is supplied round the margins of the front of the top panel, and the margins of the rear of the bottom panel. The label is adapted for " blind clinical trials," wherein the nature and dose of a medicament are printed on the second panel 32, but only the patient's number and the " trial " number are exposed on the common identifying panels. The labels are adhered to a drug container by the further panel, and the main portion is detached by a clinician and kept with a patient's record. If it is necessary to determine the nature and dose administered to a particular patient, the main portion may be opened without disclosing information of other samples of drugs being used in the same trial.