Glass Everyday Keeps The Doctor Away

Glass and the medical community have long supported each other. That’s why recently in India, the Drug Technical Advisory Board has banned the use of plastic or PET containers for liquid medicines. Doctors and Pharmacists around the world only trust the safest and purist packaging material when it comes to your health - glass.

When it comes to their patient’s health – doctors don’t take any chances. Glass bottles and vials have been the most trusted form of packaging for doctors and pharmaceutical scientists for since the 1600s because of its inert properties. Glass bottles became more common because they were more inactive than their ceramic counterparts; and it was important that they protected the substances inside from direct light that could potentially damage the precious cargo within.

Red glass is actually the most chemically inactive coloured glass, and that is why even today, the preferred glass for medicine bottles is red. Did you know that to make red glass, gold is added to the molten substance to obtain this protective hue?

While packaging containers – and medical knowledge – have evolved significantly from the 1600s, glass is still the preferred packaging material within the medical community. Even today, in countries like India, pharmaceutical companies will have to stop using plastic or PET containers in liquid oral formulations meant for paediatric formulations, geriatrics, women in reproductive age group and pregnant women because of their potential to leach unwanted chemicals.

“India has large variation in temperatures. In summer days temperature rises to 40-45 degree centigrade and exposure of plastic bottles to such a high temperature may result in adverse effect on the drug formulations packed plastic bottles and the high temperature may result in increased leaching. The harmful effects because of the packaging and leaching may be further magnified in the case of drug formulations,” said the government’s chief advisory body on drugs-Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).

When choosing your food, it’s crucial to consider its packaging as well – especially if your carefully monitoring your health. Other packaging materials can leach risky and unwanted chemicals into your food and drink; which can aggravate an already struggling immune system. Use food that’s been preserved and stored in glass containers and bottles if you’re trying to be mindful of what goes into your body; or simply try using a refillable glass water bottle instead of disposable ones. Why trust the purity of your healthy with anything less than 100% pure glass.