A UK-based company has become the first to offer a blister packaging product for pharmaceuticals that meets the BS 8404 standard, which covers packs that are child-resistant but also allow easy access for the elderly and others who may have compromised manual dexterity.
Pill protect combines permanent and peelable adhesives on a secondary layer on the underside of the blister pack which is laid down in a pattern to match the layout of the blister and the tablet pockets. The peelable sections are aligned over the pocket areas and are perforated. With these sections in place it is very difficult to push the tablets out, but when they are peeled back the tablets can be pushed through the normal blister foil.
The company notes that child resistance on non-reclosable blister and strip packaging is due to become law in the UK later this year, with BS 8404 set as the standard for child resistance. The proposed legislation affects products containing paracetamol, aspirin and iron (24mg or over). Every year, around 2,000 children are admitted to hospital after accidentally taking an overdose of pain killers.
The new legislation means that companies obtaining product licenses, even if granted before the the law comes into force, will have to present their products in child-resistant, adult-friendly packaging from the date they are launched, according to Pill protect. In addition, firms with existing licenses will be required to vary their licenses and transfer their products to such packaging.
"We have invested a lot of time and effort in getting the product right and now we can offer customers a compelling solution that will help them meet new legal requirements quickly and efficiently," commented Jonathan Bobbett, managing director of Pill protect.