Guest guest Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 > Does'nt that have something to do with how fragile the Nitro tablets are? > > Hi Jeanetta, > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While filling > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He knows > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, but > he could not at that moment. > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > Thanks in advance, > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 Dear Donna, I do not know the exact law. It may have (probably does have) something to do with the Child Safety Act which states that all meds are to be dispensed in containers with child safety caps/lids, except for those meds dispensed to patients who sign a waiver releasing pharmacy and pharmacists from the responsibilty if something happens to a child or grandchild. Patients who sign such a waiver may have arthritis medication or other meds that would necessitate that the patient must have quick access and/or ease of opening due to the nature of the med or the disease state of the patient. (not in these exact words). To my knowledge Nitroglycerine or Nitro Stat tabs are packaged and dispensed in the original in dark amber glass containers with a light weight metal screw cap which has a specific " inner " (shiny) coating to prevent metal contact. Has this changed? I have not dispensed since l999. My last recollection is Nitroglycerine sublingual tablets such as Nitrostat, are packaged in dark amber glass with such a light weight metal top. In addition, patients should bring in their unused nitroglycerine of 6 months old to the pharmacy, whether it was opened or not! The potency may be weakened over time, especially if the container was opened. ( I am not sure about billing on this! Retail techs check this one out!) Many patients fail to do this and many pharmacists fail to counsel on this. Now I do not understand how they could be placed in a container with Flip top plastic lids ( non-safety caps) since all nitro products should be dispensed in amber glass containers, no plastic as it may react with the nitro. Please give a copy of this post to your pharmacist and ask him/her to comment. In addition please post about what type of container your pharmacy receives the nitroglycerin tablets in and what type of container it dispenses it in, please include material and lid ( original or transfered? glass/metal plastic and lid and construction etc). Thank you for the question and I would say that this needs further exploration. I should like to hear from other retail techs. Thank you, Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chemistry Founder/Owner i > > > Hi Jeanetta, > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While filling > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He knows > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, but > he could not at that moment. > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > Thanks in advance, > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 To make this clearer, I believe that patients need to get into the nitroglycerin bottle quickly, that the use of a non-safety cap would mean plastic and that this is NOT acceptable. I also believe that the 'screw cap " for the nitro that it is available in 'is not a child safety cap and yet it is not a plastic 'flip top " either and is exempt from the child safety act requiement due to the nature of the disease that the drug is dispensed for (for quick access and use). Thank You for the question and we shall use it after we get your pharmacist's input and that of Joe Medina. Respectfully, Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chem Founder/Owner PS I need you Donna F to show YOUR post andmy two posts to your pharmacist. I think you may have misunderstoon him/her (or else I understood your post to mean that a 'plastic flip-top non- safety cap is to be used. This does not compute with me. Perhaps the screw top is considered a non-safety top. I can accept this. Thanks Jeanetta > > > > > > Hi Jeanetta, > > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While > filling > > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He > knows > > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, > but > > he could not at that moment. > > > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > > Thanks in advance, > > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Hi Jeanetta and Donna, I hope this helps concerning Nitro Stat and easy open lids: The United States Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) was passed in 1970 and is currently administered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Act was decreed to prevent young children from accidentally ingesting hazardous substances ordinarily stored about the house. The law requires toxic, corrosive, or irritant substances to be packaged in such a way that it will be difficult for children less than 5 years to open them, yet not difficult for adults to open. The Act also requires special packaging for both prescription and non- prescription drugs. Prescription drugs intended for topical or other non-oral administration do not require child-resistant packaging. The Act exempts prescription drugs from child resistant packaging if either the prescriber or patient requests it or if the medication is on the list of drugs which are exempt; including Nitroglycerin and sublingual / chewable preparations of Isosorbide Dinitrate, both of which are used for angina. [taken from the Tech Lectures Review Manual/Workbook] Respectfully, Joe Medina, CPhT http://www.techlectures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Dear Joe, Thank you for responding to my TEXPERT Feeler! That is exactly what I was looking for! So the screw top is not a child proof packaging even though it is a screw type cap. But to put a plastic flip top, a non-safety cap is not acceptable. Thank you, Jeanetta > Hi Jeanetta and Donna, > > I hope this helps concerning Nitro Stat and easy open lids: > > The United States Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) was passed > in 1970 and is currently administered by the U.S. Consumer Product > Safety Commission. The Act was decreed to prevent young children > from accidentally ingesting hazardous substances ordinarily stored > about the house. The law requires toxic, corrosive, or irritant > substances to be packaged in such a way that it will be difficult for > children less than 5 years to open them, yet not difficult for adults > to open. > > The Act also requires special packaging for both prescription and non- > prescription drugs. Prescription drugs intended for topical or other > non-oral administration do not require child-resistant packaging. > > The Act exempts prescription drugs from child resistant packaging if > either the prescriber or patient requests it or if the medication is > on the list of drugs which are exempt; including Nitroglycerin and > sublingual / chewable preparations of Isosorbide Dinitrate, both of > which are used for angina. > > [taken from the Tech Lectures Review Manual/Workbook] > > Respectfully, > > Joe Medina, CPhT > http://www.techlectures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Dear Donna F, I think th e follwoing link may help you with finding the law: Office of Drug Safety http://www.fda.gov/cder/Offices/ODS/default.htm Jeanetta > > > Hi Jeanetta, > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While filling > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He knows > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, but > he could not at that moment. > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > Thanks in advance, > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Donna: We do the same thing!! char Charleen A. CphT Technician Representative Spokane Pharmacy Association & Pharmacy Technician/Trainer Sixth Avenue Pharmacy W. 508 6th Avenue Spokane, WA 99204 (509) 455-9345 wk. (509) 953-9308 cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Hi Jeanetta, We do not open the original amber bottle, we put that bottle into another vial because the label is too large to fit onto the amber bottle. I will ask my Pharmacist about the returning an old rx for nitro...as far as I know, we have not received any old nitro tabs. Thanks, for the info. Donna F (Lealee12; sadiesmom) Re: Nitro Stat and easy open lids Dear Donna, I do not know the exact law. It may have (probably does have) something to do with the Child Safety Act which states that all meds are to be dispensed in containers with child safety caps/lids, except for those meds dispensed to patients who sign a waiver releasing pharmacy and pharmacists from the responsibilty if something happens to a child or grandchild. Patients who sign such a waiver may have arthritis medication or other meds that would necessitate that the patient must have quick access and/or ease of opening due to the nature of the med or the disease state of the patient. (not in these exact words). To my knowledge Nitroglycerine or Nitro Stat tabs are packaged and dispensed in the original in dark amber glass containers with a light weight metal screw cap which has a specific " inner " (shiny) coating to prevent metal contact. Has this changed? I have not dispensed since l999. My last recollection is Nitroglycerine sublingual tablets such as Nitrostat, are packaged in dark amber glass with such a light weight metal top. In addition, patients should bring in their unused nitroglycerine of 6 months old to the pharmacy, whether it was opened or not! The potency may be weakened over time, especially if the container was opened. ( I am not sure about billing on this! Retail techs check this one out!) Many patients fail to do this and many pharmacists fail to counsel on this. Now I do not understand how they could be placed in a container with Flip top plastic lids ( non-safety caps) since all nitro products should be dispensed in amber glass containers, no plastic as it may react with the nitro. Please give a copy of this post to your pharmacist and ask him/her to comment. In addition please post about what type of container your pharmacy receives the nitroglycerin tablets in and what type of container it dispenses it in, please include material and lid ( original or transfered? glass/metal plastic and lid and construction etc). Thank you for the question and I would say that this needs further exploration. I should like to hear from other retail techs. Thank you, Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chemistry Founder/Owner i > > > Hi Jeanetta, > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While filling > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He knows > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, but > he could not at that moment. > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > Thanks in advance, > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Jeanetta, I am sorry if I miss worded my question. To clearly it: We do not open the amber bottle of nitro,; we place that bottle in a vial so that a proper label can be affixed to it. Sorry for the confusion. Donna F Re: Nitro Stat and easy open lids To make this clearer, I believe that patients need to get into the nitroglycerin bottle quickly, that the use of a non-safety cap would mean plastic and that this is NOT acceptable. I also believe that the 'screw cap " for the nitro that it is available in 'is not a child safety cap and yet it is not a plastic 'flip top " either and is exempt from the child safety act requiement due to the nature of the disease that the drug is dispensed for (for quick access and use). Thank You for the question and we shall use it after we get your pharmacist's input and that of Joe Medina. Respectfully, Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chem Founder/Owner PS I need you Donna F to show YOUR post andmy two posts to your pharmacist. I think you may have misunderstoon him/her (or else I understood your post to mean that a 'plastic flip-top non- safety cap is to be used. This does not compute with me. Perhaps the screw top is considered a non-safety top. I can accept this. Thanks Jeanetta > > > > > > Hi Jeanetta, > > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While > filling > > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He > knows > > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, > but > > he could not at that moment. > > > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > > Thanks in advance, > > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Thank You Joe; I shall print this and show it to my Pharmacist. He will be pleased that , (with the help from this Study group that I have been praising so highly)I followed up on this. Donna F Re: Nitro Stat and easy open lids Hi Jeanetta and Donna, I hope this helps concerning Nitro Stat and easy open lids: The United States Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) was passed in 1970 and is currently administered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Act was decreed to prevent young children from accidentally ingesting hazardous substances ordinarily stored about the house. The law requires toxic, corrosive, or irritant substances to be packaged in such a way that it will be difficult for children less than 5 years to open them, yet not difficult for adults to open. The Act also requires special packaging for both prescription and non- prescription drugs. Prescription drugs intended for topical or other non-oral administration do not require child-resistant packaging. The Act exempts prescription drugs from child resistant packaging if either the prescriber or patient requests it or if the medication is on the list of drugs which are exempt; including Nitroglycerin and sublingual / chewable preparations of Isosorbide Dinitrate, both of which are used for angina. [taken from the Tech Lectures Review Manual/Workbook] Respectfully, Joe Medina, CPhT http://www.techlectures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Yep?!This is what we did to at our outpt window in the hospital. Floors (in pts) did not get the outer plastic vial. Thanks Jeanetta > Donna: We do the same thing!! char > > Charleen A. CphT > Technician Representative > Spokane Pharmacy Association > & > Pharmacy Technician/Trainer > Sixth Avenue Pharmacy > W. 508 6th Avenue > Spokane, WA 99204 > (509) 455-9345 wk. > (509) 953-9308 cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2002 Report Share Posted October 18, 2002 Dear Donna, Thanks for the clarification! I was going nuts wonder how this could have changed so drastically! Hee! Glad to know that my information was on target and correct with the exception of the exact name of the Law whiich Joe Medina provided us with. Thanks for the question. Obviously a good one! Love ya, Jeanetta > > > > > > > > > Hi Jeanetta, > > > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While > > filling > > > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He > > knows > > > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law > that > > > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > > > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, > > but > > > he could not at that moment. > > > > > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > > > > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > > > Thanks in advance, > > > Donna f > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2002 Report Share Posted October 19, 2002 Joe- Bearing the PPPA in mind, which I think is an awesome safety net... Do you think that some pharmaceutical company will ever produce a unit dose pkg under those specifications for hospitals? I mean we waste so many bottles when parameds open it up for one pill for a ER case, or if its a PRN med... I mean we can place a par level of 10 in an ER bag and a minimum for the patient's drawer... I dont know just an idea... Pankey, CPhT > Hi Jeanetta and Donna, > > I hope this helps concerning Nitro Stat and easy open lids: > > The United States Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) was passed > in 1970 and is currently administered by the U.S. Consumer Product > Safety Commission. The Act was decreed to prevent young children > from accidentally ingesting hazardous substances ordinarily stored > about the house. The law requires toxic, corrosive, or irritant > substances to be packaged in such a way that it will be difficult for > children less than 5 years to open them, yet not difficult for adults > to open. > > The Act also requires special packaging for both prescription and non- > prescription drugs. Prescription drugs intended for topical or other > non-oral administration do not require child-resistant packaging. > > The Act exempts prescription drugs from child resistant packaging if > either the prescriber or patient requests it or if the medication is > on the list of drugs which are exempt; including Nitroglycerin and > sublingual / chewable preparations of Isosorbide Dinitrate, both of > which are used for angina. > > [taken from the Tech Lectures Review Manual/Workbook] > > Respectfully, > > Joe Medina, CPhT > http://www.techlectures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2002 Report Share Posted October 20, 2002 Hi Jeanetta and All, We dispense nitroglycerin tablets 100 count in the original glass bottle with the pharmacy label on the outer box. Nitroglycerin 25 count bottles come 4 in the box and if all 4 bottles are being dispensed at the same time we place the pharmacy label on the box. If we get an Rx for only 1 bottle of 25 count nitroglycerin we take the glass amber bottle from the manufacturer and place it intact in one our plastic amber vials with a non-safety cap because it is the only way we can label it. Funny you should mention returning old nitro tabs, I just had a customer come in today with a bottle (expiration date still good 02/03) and the tablets had disintegrated. He just asked for a refill not a refund at his request. He said he usually gets the box of 4 - 25 count bottles and doesn't use them that often so he requested only 1 bottle of 25 this time. Re: Nitro Stat and easy open lids Dear Donna, I do not know the exact law. It may have (probably does have) something to do with the Child Safety Act which states that all meds are to be dispensed in containers with child safety caps/lids, except for those meds dispensed to patients who sign a waiver releasing pharmacy and pharmacists from the responsibilty if something happens to a child or grandchild. Patients who sign such a waiver may have arthritis medication or other meds that would necessitate that the patient must have quick access and/or ease of opening due to the nature of the med or the disease state of the patient. (not in these exact words). To my knowledge Nitroglycerine or Nitro Stat tabs are packaged and dispensed in the original in dark amber glass containers with a light weight metal screw cap which has a specific " inner " (shiny) coating to prevent metal contact. Has this changed? I have not dispensed since l999. My last recollection is Nitroglycerine sublingual tablets such as Nitrostat, are packaged in dark amber glass with such a light weight metal top. In addition, patients should bring in their unused nitroglycerine of 6 months old to the pharmacy, whether it was opened or not! The potency may be weakened over time, especially if the container was opened. ( I am not sure about billing on this! Retail techs check this one out!) Many patients fail to do this and many pharmacists fail to counsel on this. Now I do not understand how they could be placed in a container with Flip top plastic lids ( non-safety caps) since all nitro products should be dispensed in amber glass containers, no plastic as it may react with the nitro. Please give a copy of this post to your pharmacist and ask him/her to comment. In addition please post about what type of container your pharmacy receives the nitroglycerin tablets in and what type of container it dispenses it in, please include material and lid ( original or transfered? glass/metal plastic and lid and construction etc). Thank you for the question and I would say that this needs further exploration. I should like to hear from other retail techs. Thank you, Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chemistry Founder/Owner i > > > Hi Jeanetta, > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While filling > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He knows > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, but > he could not at that moment. > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > Thanks in advance, > Donna f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2002 Report Share Posted October 20, 2002 Dear m Yes this is just as we dispensed in the hospital that I worked at. Apparently nothing has changed. My interpretation of the question and the way the question was written led me to believe that the packaging may have changed in the last 3 years. Thank Goodness it has not! I hope that your pharamcist counseled the patient to return in 6 months whether he had opened the bottle or not, whether it is expired or not. Thanks for your input, Respectfully, Jeanetta > > > > > > Hi Jeanetta, > > I have a question about Nitro Stat and easy open lids. While > filling > > an order for Nitro Stat, my Pharmacist gave me a FYI note...He > knows > > I am studying for the exams, and said that it is a federal law that > > mandates that we always put an easy open lid on this Rx. I can > > understand the reason why. I asked him if he knew the exact law, > but > > he could not at that moment. > > > > Could it be somewhere in the Child Safety Act? > > > > This may be a good question to have on your practice exam. > > Thanks in advance, > > Donna f > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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