Glass has been used for millennia to package
precious liquids, from sacred fragrances
and oils in ancient Egyptian rituals to
complex drug and biologic formulations in
the 21st century. Glass’ unique combination
of hermeticity, transparency, strength, and
chemical durability makes it the optimal
material for such an important role. Even
with the advent of materials such as plastics,
glass remains the most common packaging
container for parenterals, and advancements
continue to be made in the area of
pharmaceutical glass. An in-depth review
of the history of tubular glass for pharmaceutical
packaging in an upcoming issue of
the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science
and Technology will explore the evolution of
its composition, forming, durability, and
regulatory requirements (1).