The Medi-Dose® Group, known for its innovative solid and liquid oral unit dose packaging systems, has always had deep roots---family roots. This is not surprising since Medi-Dose began as a small family business. Medi-Dose was founded in 1971 when Milton Braverman, a former pharmaceutical company Territory Manager, formed his own company. He was acutely aware of the requirements of hospital pharmacy. His sons, Robert and Mark, continue the tradition for The Medi-Dose Group. Robert, Director of Marketing, remembered, "My dad saw the need for inexpensive, manual unit dose packaging that would allow a hospital to convert from traditional dispensing. He developed a system to package, handle and dispense predetermined amounts of medication so they would be accessible for one regular dose…and along the way, he became the personification of the ‘American Dream’”.

The MILTON Building...the new Administrative and Distribution Offices and Facilities for Medi-Dose/EPS

The Bravermans set out to carve a niche for the company--initially with solid oral, unit dose packaging. From the start, the appeal for pharmacists was the ease with which the system solved problems of "in-house" packaging and distribution of solid orals. It's manual and easy to learn, eliminating intensive in-service training programs. And costly automation, extensive shelf space and long-term projections for prepackaging are not necessary.

Although unit dose is familiar today, launching the idea was one of the biggest problems the new company faced. "We were one of the pioneers, the innovators promoting unit dose packaging in hospitals," Robert Braverman recalled. "Due in part to Medi-Dose’s educational efforts, pharmacists and nurses accepted the validity of unit dose."

Medi-Dose is constantly responding to pharmacy packaging needs. Providing package stability, ultraviolet inhibitance and easy-opening tamper-evidence have always been paramount pharmacy concerns regarding prepacking. Using Medi-Dose, a pharmacist can package medication and store it for up to 1-year without loss of potency due to UV light transmission or moisture permeation.

Hospitals can install the Medi-Dose solid oral, unit dose system for under $600-and that includes all the supplies for 5000 doses of medication, even Windows software for complete med and bar coding identification. Both solid and liquid oral systems can be set up for under $700.

With bar coding becoming an ever-more-important aspect of pharmacy practice, Medi-Dose recently released its latest enhanced computer software…the new MILT® by Medi-Dose program (for Medi-Dose Information Labeling Technology and also named for the company’s founder). “My father”, relates Robert Braverman, “wanted bar coding on medication packaging early on to minimize the potential for medication error. So we’ve been constantly improving on our programs in order to better meet this vital pharmacy challenge and need.”

MILT by Medi-Dose not only has sophisticated bar coding technology but also includes an upgradeable NDC database. Pharmacists can simply type or scan in their NDC number and MILT by Medi-Dose will supply the pertinent information. The pharmacist can then map this information to designated fields…reducing the risk of error. MILT by Medi-Dose also contains field locking capability for extra security, dynamic formatting for quick medication identification recognition and support for syringe and ampule labeling.

EPS®, Inc. (Extemporaneous Packaging Systems), a companion company to Medi-Dose, Inc., was founded in 1977 when the Bravermans expanded into other areas of hospital pharmacy. Today, EPS manufactures and markets liquid unit dose packaging supplies and I.V. additive disposables for the preparation and dispensing of chemotherapeutic agents and other I.V. medications. Other EPS products include male/female luer lock closures, injection ports, trays and totes, tapes and labels, ultraviolet inhibitant and resealable bags as well as I.V. software.

Like Medi-Dose, EPS's TampAlerT® system for liquids offers tamper-evidence. "The premier advantage of TampAlerT is its tamper-evident seal," said Mr. Braverman. "Ten minutes after you dispense your liquid and screw the TampAlerT cap on the vial, the seal is in place. Heat tunnels and accessory sealing equipment are not necessary. TampAlerT is tamper-evidence with a twist of the wrist!"

The company's I.V. accessories are also highly successful. The firm sees them as a natural advancement of the initial Medi-Dose system. "In essence, I.V. dispensing is a highly specialized form of unit dose," observed Mr. Braverman. "It's the same idea--preparing and administering predetermined amounts of medication for one regular dose or application."

Sensitivity to pharmacy's increased emphasis on I.V. filtration led EPS, Inc. to expand its line of I.V. filters. Three disposable disc filters and two air-eliminating filters are now available. Ranging in pore size from 0.2 to 1.2 microns, the EPS I.V. filters were designed for sterilization, bacterial retention, and particulate removal. The 1.2-micron units are ideal for filtering lipids and removing fungi and particulates without compromising emulsions.

Even though all the products continue to meet with gratifying widespread acceptance, both Medi-Dose and EPS remain highly motivated. "We're always looking for new products and developing innovative ways to help hospital pharmacists," noted Mr. Braverman.

Mark D. Braverman, Director of Operations, is responsible for the company's extensive computer network. He coordinates all purchasing activities, both domestic and international. Mark and Robert are aggressively bringing to the firm's customers an expanded line of economically priced, generic alternatives to expensive brands of plastic products.

The MILTON Building...the new Administrative and Distribution Offices and Facilities for Medi-Dose/EPS

Robert Braverman notes, "Dedicated to our father, we’ve moved into the Milton Building, our new sales, marketing and distribution facility. We’re extremely proud of it and we know he would be too. Yet while we've come a long way from being a small family business, we still have remain as attentive and responsive to pharmacy needs as we were over 30 years ago. Now we have the ability and the products to respond to pharmacists all over the world...and we do."