Frauenfeld and Bern, 16 December 2021

Press release

Zur Rose and the Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired make it easier for people with a visual impairment to take medication

Taking medication correctly is crucial to the success of treatment, and is often challenging, especially when several different medications are being taken at once. In collaboration with the Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBV), Zur Rose is therefore adapting its medications box for individually sorted and packaged medications to the special needs of people with a visual impairment and providing barrier-free access to medication information. This increases medication safety and allows people with sight loss to manage their medication independently.

Around 377,000 people in Switzerland have a visual impairment. Taking medication is often especially challenging for them, particularly when several medications are being taken at once. They generally depend on support from sighted people to ensure correct provision. Together with the SBV, online pharmacy Zur Rose has therefore adapted its individually blister-packaged Dailymed box specially for the needs of people with a visual impairment.

High-contrast font and QR code
The personalised Dailymed box contains the medications to be taken as the doctor prescribed, packed in individual pouches in the order of the time they are to be taken. A QR code is placed on the pouches that can be easily scanned with a smartphone, giving people with a visual impairment barrier-free access to important medication information. Once the code has been successfully scanned, the smartphone's integrated voice output reads aloud the information in the text. The font on the pouches has also been adapted to improve legibility, and the contrast increased. A special perforation has been added too, making it easier to identify by touch and tear off.

The collaboration with the experts at the SBV and the feedback from visually impaired people who tested the product were key to developing the medication boxes so they are suitable for the visually impaired. One blind test person said, "Now I can take medication without having to ask someone. For me, that's another step towards independence."

Emanuel Lorini, Head Switzerland at Zur Rose, is pleased: "Taking medication correctly and safely is crucial to the success of treatment. We are delighted that by putting the QR code on our Dailymed box we are able to make the relevant information available barrier-free and support people with a visual impairment in taking their medication."

Furthermore, the two partners will also adapt the information on ready-to-use medication accordingly. Zur Rose is using some of the proceeds from the specially developed medications box to support projects by the Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired to make daily life easier for people with a visual impairment.

Contact:

Zur Rose:
Pascale Ineichen, Head of Corporate Communications Zur Rose Suisse AG
Direct line +41 52 724 08 18 | Email media@zurrose.com

Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired SBV:
Daniela Moser, SBV lobbyist
Direct line +41 31 390 88 61 | Email: daniela.moser@sbv-fsa.ch

Zur Rose Suisse
Zur Rose Suisse AG, a subsidiary of Zur Rose Group AG, is one of Switzerland's leading e-commerce pharmacies and medical wholesalers. With its business model, it offers high-quality, safe and cost-effective pharmaceutical care. It also excels in the continuous development of digital healthcare services and as a platform technology provider.
The Zur Rose Group is actively driving forward its positioning as a comprehensive healthcare service provider, with focus on building up its European healthcare ecosystem networking qualified providers of products, services and digital solutions. Zur Rose's contribution will be to bring these offerings to customers and patients, pursuing its vision of creating a world where people can manage their own health in one click. For further information, please visit zurrose.ch and zurrosegroup.com.

Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired SBV
The Swiss Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBV) is the national self-help organisation for visual impairment. It has been supporting people with visual impairment in their efforts to lead a successful and independent life at work and in society since 1911. The SBV meets this objective by providing advice and training, promoting innovative technologies, informing the public and raising awareness. For more information go to sbv-fsa.ch.


Dailymed box for people with a visual impairment