Abstract

In 1972, over 15,000 children were admitted to hospitals in England and Wales as a result of accidental poisoning with medicines; almost half had taken analgesics.¹ A survey in one area of the USA showed that the use of child-resistant containers (CRCs) reduced the accidental poisoning rate to less than 15% of its former level.² CRCs were introduced in Britain because years of campaigning by the DHSS and the pharmaceutical profession on the importance of locking away drugs (‘Keep all medicines out of reach of children’) had failed to reduce the incidence of accidental child poisoning.³ Three different reclosable CRCs are now used in Britain, ‘Pop-lok’ (Metal Box Ltd), ‘Snap-safe’ (Cope Allman Plastics Ltd) and ‘Clic-loc’ (U. G. Closures and Plastics Ltd).