Introduction and Promotion of the Use of Child-Resistant Packaging of Medicines in Taiwan

目的：由於現在醫學的發達及近年來台灣社會的改變，家庭子女數目普遍減少，嬰幼兒因傳染病致死的機率已逐年減少，但兒童中毒意外的案例卻明顯增加。本計畫主要目標是藉由慈濟志業體醫療、教育及文化之整合資源，提倡國內安全藥物使用觀念及藉由兒童安全包裝的使用減少及預防兒童中毒的意外。材料與方法：經由書面文宣、衛教單張及公共媒體的宣導，向國人引入藥品兒童安全包裝、兒童居家安全、兒童中毒預防及急救處理方法的宣導。此外，並於花蓮、大林慈濟醫院實施兒童安全包裝，確認民眾的接受度及其成效。結果：經研討會之舉辦與宣導及兒童安全包裝之推廣，民眾對於兒童安全包裝用於預防兒童中毒意外持肯定態度。結論：歐美國家政府致力於建立所有可以用於預防兒童中毒的措施，不僅藉由民眾對於兒童中毒預防觀念的再教育，對於可以顯著減少兒童中毒包裝的開發及使用也非常積極。然而，在台灣，兒童安全包裝的使用及提倡已經落後這些先進國家將近30年。在未來，待全國普及推行藥品兒童安全包裝後，可另擬訂計畫，評估兒童安全包裝實施前後幼兒誤食藥品導致意外中毒之發生率及致死率。

關鍵字

兒童中毒意外；兒童安全包裝；慈濟志業體；居家安全

並列摘要

Objective: Although the birth rate in Taiwan is declining due to many social reasons, the number of cases of accidental poisonings in young children is on the rise despite the availability of better medical facilities. The purpose of this project was to promote the safe use of medications and prevent accidental poisonings in children by introducing child-resistant packaging through integrated efforts of health care, education, and cultural and public media by the Tzu Chi organization to educate people and raise their awareness of child safety. Materials and Methods: By means of printed materials and electronic media, we explained to people why it is worthwhile using child-resistant drug packaging, and offered them home guidelines for child safety, methods to prevent children from taking drugs by mistake at home, and techniques of emergency treatment. We launched a program to promote the use of child-resistant packaging at the outpatient pharmacies of Dalin and Hualien Tzu Chi general hospitals in May 2002 to determine how it would be accepted. Statistics were applied to determine if any differences were achieved by the program. In order to extend the promotion, symposiums were held in different areas of Taiwan. Results: After presenting short briefing films, symposiums, and an actual package trial, we found that people accepted the concept with positive attitudes. Conclusions: Governments of Europe and the US are very keen about all possible measures used to prevent accidental drug poisoning in children. By widely educating people about common-sense approaches to such prevention, they have actually significantly reduced the incidental rate of accidents through R&D in and promotion of child-resistant packaging of drugs. However, in Taiwan, promotion of the use of child-resistant packaging has lagged behind that found in developed Western countries by almost 30 years. In the future when the practice of child-resistant packaging has become a nationwide reality in Taiwan, we plan to carry out another medium- to long-term project for evaluating the incidence and mortality rates of accidental child-poisonings before and after the introduction of the use of child-resistance packaging described in this study.

並列關鍵字

child-poisoning accidental events ； child-resistant packaging ； Tzu Chi organization ； home safety

國際替代計量

Introduction and Promotion of the Use of Child-Resistant Packaging of Medicines in Taiwan

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