What is the reason why medicines are placed in orange pill bottles?
Clear orange pill bottles are common containers for medicines and there are reasons why this kind of bottle has its specific purpose.
Have you ever wondered why pills given by doctors are placed inside a specific bottle? It is a clear small orange container that is like a tube. Based on the article in Reader’s Digest, this is not just a random thing. There are reasons why this kind of bottle is used for prescription pills.
One reason is to keep the medicine potent. Jennifer Bourgeois, a pharmacist and health expert for SingleCare Pharmacy, explained that when exposed to UV light, the medicine’s potency degrades or it will totally be gone.
The orange color of the bottle helps block UV lights. Using this kind of bottle has become more popular than other bottles filled with cotton. Since the bottle is clear, it also makes the medicine more visible.
With the same feature, the medication is more recognizable as well. It has become a standard pill container around the world. Wherever you are, this has become common knowledge that the orange pill bottle contains prescription medication, and it should be treated with care.
This orange bottle comes with a special white cap and there is also a reason behind this. It is to prevent children from opening the bottle. This was invented by pediatrician Henri Breault who launched a public-health campaign in the early 1960s to reduce accidental poisonings in children. The campaign inspired the United States to pass the Poison Prevention Packaging Act in 1970 which mandated the use of childproof caps.
Although the orange bottle is more common, other colors are being used also. Some are for medication promotions or to easily identify a certain brand. Some medications that really need to be kept out of sunlight, often come in opaque bottles.