Summary

Parcel Health is creating sustainable, paper-based pharmaceutical packaging to replace the traditional pill bottle. Their main product, the Tully Tube, launched in 2024 and is designed to be fully recyclable and compostable while still meeting U.S. safety and regulatory standards for medication packaging, including child-resistance and moisture protection. The body of the tube is made from sustainably sourced, curb-side recyclable (and compostable) paper, while the neck and child-resistant cap are made from recycled plastic — allowing patients to separate the components so the paper can be recycled or composted and the cap recycled. (Source) Because traditional plastic pill bottles generate significant waste — billions of plastic vials are discarded annually, with only a small fraction recycled — Parcel Health’s paper-based solution aims to dramatically reduce plastic use in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The company works by collaborating directly with pharmacies (both independent and hospital-based) and health systems to substitute conventional plastic pill bottles with its eco-friendly packaging. For example, Allegheny Health Network (AHN) rolled out a pilot program using Parcel Health’s Tully Tube for dispensing prescriptions through selected hospital pharmacies. Similarly, UVA Health began transitioning to Tully Tube at its specialty and retail pharmacies in 2025 — replacing plastic vials with recyclable paper bottles while maintaining safety standards. It should be noted that Parcel Health supports mail-order and telemedicine providers, but their packaging is also being deployed in physical pharmacies (hospital or retail-based).

Story

Parcel Health was co-founded by Melinda Su‑En Lee and Mallory Barrett, who came together to found the company when Lee cold-messaged Barrett through Linkedin based on a project Barrett had worked on. Lee, a pharmacist became motivated to find a sustainable alternative to pill bottles when she realized how many plastic bottles contribute to waste in the healthcare system. Barrett had prior experience in sustainable packaging design. Both founders realized they had a shared concern for plastic waste and that they had complementary skill sets when they finally launched the company in 2020. (Source)

Pic credit: Causartist(right) and Livability (top)