§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she has any further announcement to make on the progress on implementing the introduction of safety packaging for certain medicinal products and, in particular, those dangerous to small children as outlined in her Written Answer to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West dated 23rd April 1975.—[Vol. 890, c. 325–8.]
§ Dr. OwenWe have had discussions with the British Standards Institution, and, although a few details have yet to be settled, the Government have decided to go ahead with regulations requiring manufacturers to use safety packaging from 1st January 1976, if practicable, when packing children's aspirin and paracetamol tablets, capsules and pills intended for retail sale.
The British Standards Institution advice is that it would be unwise to modify the Draft for Development for reclosable containers and the Government have decided that reclosable child-resistant containers will have to meet the full test set out in the Draft for Development and be opaque. As a temporary measure, we propose that a reclosable container which has passed the United States test will be allowed.
At our request, the British Standards Institution has agreed to try to devise suitable specifications or tests for materials for unit packaging—that is, strip, blister, bubble packs etc.—which would not involve the use of children in testing the packaging but would specify 473W various types of unit packaging and test levels for strength and so on. The institution estimates that a standard would take over a year to produce. As immediate action is required, the regulations will allow the use of unit packaging for the time being without reference to such a standard, provided that it is opaque, pharmaceutically suitable and has been selected with a view to its child-resistance.
Product licence holders for children's aspirin and paracetamol products will be asked to introduce the safety packaging on a voluntary basis without waiting for detailed regulations.
Safety packaging of the other medicinal products mentioned in my reply to my hon. and learned Friend on 23rd April will be based on similar requirements, although some modifications may be necessary if the British Standard for pharmaceutical unit-packaging is available.
Discussions are continuing with the representatives of the pharmaceutical profession and of dispensing doctors on the safety packaging of certain dispensed medicines, starting with aspirin and paracetamol products dispensed for children, and guidance will be given to health authorities in relation to hospital outpatients in due course.—[Vol. 890, c. 325–8.]