O-B's New 1-Clic Vial Bolsters Walgreens' Pharmaceutical Packaging

Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain and the first company to introduce child-resistant containers in 1968, is offering a new child-resistant prescription vial that's easier to open for adults. The new easy-open and -close 1-Clic vial is child-resistant and provides an audible "click" to indicate the cap has been secured properly. The containers, manufactured by Toledo, Ohio-based Owens-Brockway Prescription Products, also feature easy-to-read instructions on the cap.

"This new vial opens simply by pushing a tab with your thumb and twisting the cap," said Dennis O'Dell, Walgreens divisional vice president of Health Services. "For seniors or adults with arthritis in their hands, this new vial is much easier to open. Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive since the vial was introduced two weeks ago. Also, as an added feature you can flip the cap over and twist it in place, converting it to an easy-open cap without the child-resistant feature."

Opening the vial requires no pushing-down-and-turning motion, which was the case on Walgreens' previous child-resistant containers. The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cap opens by exerting minimal pressure on a tab molded into the injection-molded polypropylene vial and slightly turning the cap. The 1-Clic utilizes Owens-Brockway's Clear-Vu amber see-through vials, which allow users to check their refill needs at a glance. In the child-resistant position, the cap features the words "Hold Tab Down" and "Turn" in large-print letters; arrows pointing in the turning direction provide further instruction. When the cap is inverted in the non-child-resistant position, the words "Caution Not Child-Resistant" show.

"We wanted packaging that was easier to open but still wanted child-resistant features," commented Michael Polzin, a spokesman for Walgreens. "Also, not everyone needs child safety, so the 'reverse' feature appealed to us," he said, speaking of the user's ability to invert the cap to make the container non-child-resistant. "It gives customers the flexibility of using the child-resistant feature or not."

The securing mechanism incorporated into 1-Clic caps and vials prevents users from mixing them with other caps or vials. If the 1-Clic components are mixed with other caps or vials, they will not provide a functional fit.

The 1-Clic vial system, which Walgreens began using nationwide in mid-January for pharmacy fills, meets all USP requirements. When properly closed in the child-resistant position, the container meets U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations for child-resistant, senior-friendly packaging.

The vial is available in seven sizes with three different sized caps. The smallest cap, the CL-38, fits 10-dram and 13-dram size vials; the medium sized cap, the CL-43, accommodates 16-dram and 20-dram size vials; and the largest cap, the CL-58, is for 30-dram, 40-dram and 60-dram size vials. These various sizes enable pharmacists to efficiently handle their labeling needs. The 10-dram size is intended to serve as a replacement for traditional 8-dram and 11-dram sizes in an effort to reduce skus. The vial's see-through feature helps pharmacists streamline their prescription verification process.

Owens-Brockway offers national distribution of 1-Clic vials through its wholesaler network.

For more information, contact Owens-Brockway Prescription Products at 1-800-321-3391.