GLIMPSES FROM "FORUM" Transvaal viewpoint - April 1978

 APRIL 1978

  

TRANSVAAL VIEWPOINT 

by Joe Cohen

 

We in the Transvaal welcomed the first National Edition of FORUM and found the articles stimulating. We suggest  that consideration be given to a quarto size page. We, as civil servants, would prefer not to be reminded of the "official" foolscap size documentation. The Transvaal branch wishes FORUM good luck for the future and look forward to regular issues of your publication.

 

CONFUSION……………..

 

Are we being fooled by labels? Are we allowing ourselves to descend to the level where designs mean more than words?

 

Yes, some of us are guilty of the above and what, you are already asking, has this to do with me? The explanation is that it is very important to read labels carefully and not rely on "images".

 

In the keenly-contested field of ethical marketing, manufacturers go to great lengths to label their products in distinctive and original designs. Unfortunately, except for the actual name of the product, (as well as statutory requirements), some labels look exactly the same and the result is that what is labelled tablet X is mistaken for tablet Y. It must be noted that with the volume of goods handled in hospital dispensaries, cartoned goods usually have a small label outside.

In the packing-away process, a glance at the label· suffices to establish the name. Two incidents where products were confused due to the same basic label design were brought to the writer's attention recently. A point which should also be noted is that the hospital pharmacist becomes used to seeing a product from company A. When the company loses the tender to company B, the former company's label is still   in the.           mind and, on seeing the "A" label it is connected with the product, whereas the "A" company now have another product on tender and here again, another avenue of confusion can occur.

The question of colour-coding has been raised on many occasions, and this would diminish confusion. The prime object though, is to read every word carefully and not be "blinded" by pictures and designs

 

                                                                                        Joe Cohen