Drug alert: amoxicillin sugar free suspension

The Government has released a drug alert, after complaints that the child–resistant caps of amoxicillin sugar-free suspension are difficult to open.

Amoxicillin is a drug only used by emergency care practitioners (ECPs).

The fault is due to the introduction of a new child - resistant cap with a red tamper-evident ring last year. These caps require more pressure to open for the first time compared to the child-resistant caps.

The below guidance will help to avoid difficulty in opening the cap:

• Place the bottle on a flat, firm surface
• Press down on the top of the cap and turn anti-clockwise
• After using the drug, press the cap down from the top and turn the cap clockwise while continuing to press down. This will ensure the child-resistant cap is properly closed
• If the correct opening technique is not used, the cap will rotate and will not open.

If you are having difficulty opening the bottle using the above instructions, please contact Medreich by email qagroup@medreich.co.uk or by phone on 020 8831 1580.

You can read the full alert including photos of the guidance on East24.

Published 6th January, 2016