[Nfb-kzoo] Fw: Braille on Band Aid boxes

Wed Apr 1 00:05:41 UTC 2009

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lori 
To: R-BLASTOMA at LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG 
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: [R-BLASTOMA] Braille on Band Aid boxes

ConvertingMagazine.com
Can-Am Braille standard set for packaging
PRESS RELEASE -- Converting Magazine, 3/19/2009 9:15:00 AM
To better satisfy the needs of the visually impaired in North America,
the International Association
of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD), located in Crystal Lake, IL, has
created "Can-Am Braille," a set
of guidelines and recommendations for the use of braille on packaging.
The IADD worked in conjunction with the Braille Authority of North
America (BANA) over the past 18
months to develop the standard, whose official release is set for
Friday, May 8, at the 2009
IADD.FSEA Odyssey in Atlanta, GA, USA. An informative technical
workshop, "Let Your Fingers Do The
Talking: Braille on Folding Cartons" will review the North American
standard in detail. All
participants will receive a copy; further distribution will take place
postworkshop through the IADD
and BANA websites to reach out and bring together the printing,
paperboard packaging and
pharmaceutical industries. The standard has been reviewed and received
its final approval by the
IADD Executive Committee and Board of Directors in January 2009.
"The use of braille in packaging will continue to increase over the next
several years," predicts
Stephen Brighton, IADD Braille Task Force Chair, "following European
pharmaceutical and food product
packaging trends in Europe."
Brighton explains that in October 2005, a previous directive of the
European Commission regarding
the use of braille for pharmaceutical packaging was implemented as law
for newly approved medicinal
products. To address these requirements, the European Carton
Manufacturers Association worked
closely with national carton associations from Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom
to develop a standard that is
being used as a set of guidelines and recommendations for the use of
braille on packaging. Can-Am
Braille is derived from this standard.
Already the Canadian and U.S. packaging markets are experiencing the
effects of the European
requirements, with some larger pharmaceutical companies incorporating
braille on their packaging for
the last few years. It is essential that a common standard be in place
to ensure that blind and
visually impaired individuals will be able to benefit from its use. When
asked why the IADD chose to
base its standard on a European one, Brighton elaborates, "There is
nothing about braille that we
can hold autonomous. We have had the opportunity to collaborate with
BANA to marry their knowledge
of braille with our knowledge of what's practically possible when
applying braille to paperboard
substrates. What we are really dealing with is the independence of the
visually impaired. Our
responsibility is to ensure that their independence is respected and
that we, as an industry, do the
best that we can to produce pharmaceutical, fast food or other types of
paperboard packaging with
the best quality braille for readability and continuity through the use
of the standard. Otherwise
the purpose of producing the braille and the resources it takes in these
economic times ends up
being an exercise in futility for everyone involved."
"We are looking forward to the implementation of this standard." said
Judy Dixon, chair of the
Braille Authority of North America, "It will have the effect of making
more braille labels to help
blind people identify the packages in their everyday lives and this will
be a very positive step
forward." Interestingly, no government legislation similar to that of
Europe is currently proposed
in the U.S. or Canada that would require pharmaceutical packaging to
have braille on it. The
original concept of creating a North American standard stemmed from a
braille workshop and
discussions at an IADD Can-Am Chapter meeting. Some members had
participated in a braille workshop
at the IADD Annual Meeting in Switzerland in November 2006. It was felt
that a proactive approach on
the part of industry to develop and implement its own standard would be
a way of reducing or even
eliminating legislative intervention. This has allowed the standard to
be developed in a time frame
that fosters continuity, making it more of an international standard,
and that ensures it will work
from a practical standpoint.
The IADD Board approved the Can-Am Braille standard in January 2009. The
BANA Board reviewed and has
approved the IADD Can-Am Braille standard in November 2008.
Contact: Jill May, IADD Chapter Relations Coordinator, International
Association of Diecutting and Diemaking. Phone 1-815-455-7519; Fax
1-815-455-7510; Email
jmay at iadd.org
.
For more information about the IADD, visit
www.iadd.org
 .
For more information about BANA, visit
www.brailleauthority.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tammy and Michael Raulerson" <raulersonfam at GMAIL.COM>
To: <R-BLASTOMA at LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG>
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 10:47 PM
Subject: [R-BLASTOMA] Braille on Band Aid boxes

>I was shopping today and get very excited.  In fact, I
> rushed over to the pharmacy help to show them what I
> found.
>
> I am a very conscientious and thrifty shopper.  I
> normally find the best bargains and buy the least
> expensive items of good quality.  I normally buy Curad
> brand adhesive bandages because of the value.
> However, I will be buying Band Aid brand from NOW ON!!
>
> When looking for adhesive bandages, I discovered that
> all Band Aid brand boxes now have the title of Band
> Aid in BRAILLE on the front!  I was so excited to see
> this new packaging.  (Okay, sometimes it is the little
> things in life that get us excited, but to some people
> I know this isn't "little"!)
>
> Now, if they would also Braille the size of the
> bandage and other important info, I might just dance a
> jig in the middle of the aisle!  Ha!  Believe me
> people would pay me to STOP.  Ha!
>
> I am sending a thank you to Band Aid for taking this
> step in making their product more easily accessible to
> blind people and I wanted to let all of you know of
> one of the small achievements being made in product
> packaging.
>
> ~Tammy, mom of  Tacey 9 yrs, dx bilat Rb at 7 mo., L
> eye enuc at 9 mo., R eye enuc at 7 yrs
>
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