From the March 2009 issue

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires that oral prescription drugs be dispensed in child-resistant packaging unless the drug is exempted or the patient or prescriber requests otherwise. But what about dual purpose caps that can be used as either a child-resistant cap or “flipped over” to be used as a non child-resistant cap? While these caps meet the requirements set in the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA), the CPSC discourages their use. We agree. These caps can still result in child poisoning if the non-resistant side is used. Moreover, their use may actually increase the risk of poisoning, as adults who previously never had problems opening a child-resistant cap may now be using these caps. You can learn more about the PPPA on the CPSC website at: www.cpsc.gov/BUSINFO/pppainfo.html.