The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission hasp issued regulations in the Federal Register covering the labeling of noncomplying packages of substances subject to the child-protection packaging requirements of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. (PPPA).
Under the Act noncomplying packages must bear the following statement on the label "This Package for Households Without Young Children". The new regulations specify that noncomplying packages with labels too small to accommodate that statement must carry a substitute warning "Product Not Child-Resistant".
To insure that elderly and handicapped persons have easy access to the contents of products subject to child- resistant packaging requirements, Section 4(a) of the PPPA provides that manufacturers and packers may package one size of a product without the child-protection safety features if it is properly labeled.
The Commission's new regulations require the labeling statement on noncomplying packages be clearly and conspicuously marked on both the principal display label of the immediate container, as well as on the outer container or wrapper.
In addition, the labeling statement must be printed in capital letters, appear within a square or rectangular border parallel to the base of the package, and be easily distinguishable from the rest of the label. Consumers seeking packages without child-resistant closures should look for these labels.
These requirements will go into effect on July 30, 1975. Federal law neither prohibits nor requires retailers to request that consumers sign a release form when purchasing a prescription drug with noncomplying packaging. Under Section 4(b) of the PPPA, a pharmacist may dispense prescription drugs in noncomplying packaging only at the direction of the physician or at the request of the consumer.
The Commission recognizes that many individuals, particularly the elderly and handicapped, need products with conventional packaging. However, the Commission strongly urges consumer use of the safety packaging since CPSC data indicates there has been a reduction in the number of children poisoned from aspirin ingestions since the child-resistant packaging for aspirin products went into effect in 1972.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
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