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FDA getting tough on iron supplements
January 15, 1997
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. ESTIn this story:
From Correspondent Al Hinman
(CNN) -- The Food and Drug Administration is ordering new warning labels and tougher-to-open packaging for iron supplements.
The existing bottles are supposed to be child resistant. But according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration many vitamins and iron supplements products on pharmacy and supermarket shelves pose a threat to children.
Just ask Kelly Hood. Several years ago her infant son and his young cousin got their hands on a container of children's vitamins, with iron.
"He took the child-proof cap off and they took about 80 to 100 vitamins," said Hood.
The children survived, but according to the FDA over the past decade there have been more than 110,000 incidents of children poisoned by iron supplements.
At least 35 have died.
Vitamins containers to carry warning
Tougher labeling and packaging standards will apply to all products that contain 30 milligrams or more of iron. That includes all popular pre-natal iron supplements and many multi-vitamin products that have added iron.
The FDA will require such products to carry a warning: "accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under six."
The warning will tell parents to "keep this product out of reach of children."
And in case of an accidental overdose call a doctor or poison control center.
Also, the FDA is ordering the kind of single-dose packaging used on many stronger over-the-counter drugs.
Trying to keep pills away from children
That's aimed at making it even harder for young children to get to the pills. But doctors and nurses know even the best packaging cannot fool all children.
"When you have medications, even if it's a child-proof container, keep it away from the children, because nothing is fail-safe," said Laurie Binder, Certified Nurse Practitioner.
The tougher new warnings and tougher to get at packaging should start replacing existing bottles on store shelves by summer.
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