Cephalon, Inc.

Anesta Corporation

Steve Shoemaker

Brian Hague

An apparatus for the reusable interim storage of partially consumed medicated oral dosage forms and methods for employing such an apparatus in order to use medicated oral dosage forms in the safest possible manner. The apparatus of the present invention in its broadest terms comprises (1) a container sized to hold a medicated oral dosage form, (2) means for allowing a medicated oral dosage form easy access into the container but substantially preventing the medicated oral dosage form from passing out of the container, and (3) a child resistant means for allowing an adult to remove a medicated oral dosage form from within the container despite the one-way access means. The preferred embodiment comprises an opaque container having one opening, a child resistant closure with an aperture there through that extends over said opening, and a plastic slitted membrane covering said aperture. The method of the present invention comprises providing a patient with the apparatus of the present invention, administering to the patient a medicated oral dosage form, and when the patient has received sufficient medication, inserting the partially consumed medicated oral dosage form into the apparatus via the one-way access means.

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Steve Shoemaker