UK. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK has announced that all products containing acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol and iron will now be required to be in packaging that meets the new British Standard on child resistance for medicines. The new regulations will come into force on 1 October 2003 with a 2-year transitional period for products already on the market to comply. The proposal endorses an additional safeguard in keeping medicines out of children’s reach and is based on a 12-week public consultation exercise involving Pharmacy Colleges, the National Health Service, Industry, Medical Colleges and other professional bodies.

Reference:

MHRA Publication, Aug 2003. Available from URL: http://medicines.mhra.gov.uk