Secure plastic packaging for medicinal, wellness, and lifestyle products has become more important over the last several decades. The best product packaging protects and contains the contents inside for consumers and also enhances a brand. For products that are potentially harmful to children, child-resistant plastic packaging is crucial.
Meta Description: Discover the significance of child-resistant packaging in protecting children from accidental poisoning, its historical background, and its impact on brands and consumer trust.
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The Importance of Child-Resistant Packaging
At Drug Plastics, we prioritize secure packaging. That's why every product we offer is designed and manufactured to help our customers help people live healthier, safer, and happier lives. We produce a range of child-resistant closures that work seamlessly with our bottles to create complete child-resistant packaging systems. Our focus is on understanding the packaging needs and challenges of the health, wellness, and lifestyle markets.
This allows us to serve producers of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, supplements, vitamins, and lifestyle products better than anyone else. We work with our customers daily to identify, design, and manufacture the right product packaging. It's also important for our customers to understand why child-resistant packaging matters so much. Here's a closer look at how and why child-resistant packaging started.
Origins of Child-Resistant Packaging
The concept of child-resistant packaging was introduced in the late 1960s. At the time, pediatricians identified accidental poisoning from ingesting medications and other household substances as the leading cause of injuries among children under five years old. In 1970, the United States Congress passed legislation mandating specific safety measures for potentially harmful products.
After Congress passed the legislation, President Richard Nixon signed the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) into law, marking a monumental leap forward in public safety. The PPPA mandates that certain medications and household products must be packaged in a way that is significantly difficult for children under five years old to open within a reasonable time while remaining accessible for normal adults. Child-resistant (CR) packaging aims to mitigate accidental ingestion by children while allowing easy access for adults, especially the elderly and handicapped who frequently use these medications.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is responsible for enforcing the PPPA. The CPSC also determines which products need child-resistant packaging. Despite the PPPA, child-resistant packaging is never foolproof. A nearly two-decade evaluation by the National Center for Health Statistics revealed a reduction in child deaths from unintentional ingestion of prescription drugs after the PPPA's enactment.
While it's estimated that child-resistant packaging reduced child deaths from accidental poisoning by 45%, noncompliance with pharmacy regulations and leaving prescription medication unsecured might have led to fewer reductions in mortality. This demonstrates that parental supervision, proper safety, and correct storage measures at home remain essential.
Products That Require Child-Resistant Packaging
The CPSC outlines various products requiring child-resistant packaging. Although the entire list is beyond this article's scope, we’ve included some common products in the pharmaceutical, wellness, and lifestyle industries below.
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical products containing specific amounts of the following ingredients require child-resistant packaging:
- Aspirin
- Acetaminophen
- Ibuprofen
- Elemental iron
- Naproxen
Many other over-the-counter drugs require CR packaging, including any OTC drug that once required a prescription.
Nutraceuticals
Many vitamins and dietary supplements fall under the PPPA and require child-resistant packaging under specific conditions. For example, products containing iron must have child-resistant packaging due to its toxicity at high doses, particularly for children.
Lifestyle Products
Understanding the packaging requirements for lifestyle products, like cannabis, is particularly challenging because many are still illegal at the federal level. The federal government does not provide specific packaging regulations for these product types beyond standard labeling requirements. Therefore, medical or recreational cannabis packaging requirements vary by state.
For comprehensive federal requirements, we recommend visiting the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations for a current and complete list of products requiring child-resistant packaging. Reviewing individual state guidelines is also advised to ensure compliance.
Why Secure Product Packaging is Important to Your Brand
Product packaging serves as the first point of contact between a consumer and your brand. Investing in packaging that leaves a positive, impactful first impression is vital for a company's success. From the label design to shelf presence, packaging needs to embody various characteristics to support your brand. However, security is paramount, especially for products potentially harmful to consumers and children. If a package doesn't appear secure, consumers won't buy it, which can damage a brand's image.
Ensuring product security should include a Design Hazard and Safety Risk Analysis (DHSRA) to identify all possible risks of misuse, including accidental ingestion by children. Many industries use this analysis to predict and mitigate potential misuse and danger before the product reaches the market. If safety hazards or risk profiles change after commercialization, a post-commercialization DHSRA is warranted.
Reviewing Child-Resistant Packaging Options
After completing a hazard review, companies should explore various child-resistant packaging solutions. Deciding on the right packaging is crucial for three reasons:
- Children adapt to common types of child-resistant packaging, making older solutions less effective over time. Outdated packaging also doesn’t appeal to modern brands.
- Consumer needs evolve, and packaging that was popular a decade ago might not be as user-friendly or attractive today.
- Newer packaging solutions offer better security and user experiences.
It's essential to collaborate with a knowledgeable packaging manufacturer that stays at the forefront of emerging technologies and innovations. They can offer valuable advice on the most effective child-resistant packaging options.
Child-Resistant or Senior-Friendly? You Can Have Both
Our experts at Drug Plastics have developed exclusive child-resistant closures that ensure dependable packaging systems. Even though product packaging must be child-resistant, it must remain user-friendly for adults, seniors, and those with limited finger mobility. Our commitment to innovative and secure packaging ensures your product is protected from children while staying accessible to adults.
Here's a look at some child-resistant closures available from Drug Plastics that maintain easy access for seniors:
- SecuRx® Child-Resistant Closures: These two-piece, lined closures are removed by simultaneously pushing down and turning. These closures come in various designs, with either text top or pictorial instructions and are a popular choice for many products needing child-resistant packaging.
Our
4 Advice to Choose a OEM fragrance glass bottles guide can help you understand more about our SecuRx closures.
The Pop & Click™ Packaging System
The distinctive Pop & Click Packaging System offers a "wow" factor, setting your brand apart from competitors. These innovative closures are child-resistant, ensuring compliance and security, with an easy-to-use system, especially for those who struggle with traditional child-resistant closures.
Expert Assistance for Complex Packaging Challenges
We excel in addressing custom design challenges, taking the time to understand our customers' needs and products thoroughly. Details matter to us, and we aim to provide the best product packaging solution.
With over 60 years of manufacturing knowledge and expertise, Drug Plastics can help you find the ideal solution for your packaging challenges. Our solutions consider your product, brand, and consumer needs. Rest assured that your products will meet stringent regulatory requirements. Connect with our team online or call 610-367-5000 to speak directly with a knowledgeable representative.
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