Is Your Bottle of Children’s Advil Supposed to Have a Safety Seal? – ryan
A parent warns others to double-check their children’s medicine bottles for this safety measure before use.
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In a video with over 385,000 views, TikToker Jess (@jess.christine1995) says she purchased a bottle of children’s Advil for delivery from Target. Right before she gave the medicine to her child, she noticed something off.
“The first thing I pulled out was the measuring cup. I thought they wrap that in a plastic safety seal,” she says.
She looks at the box and says the fine print says a tamper-evident bottle cap is included in the package.
“So I pull the bottle out. There’s no foil. No plastic wrapping on it,” she says. “That’s raising some red flags. I don’t feel comfortable.”
What did she do with the medicine?
Jess says she called the 1-800 number on the bottle the next morning to inquire about the missing safety seal.
“She said, ‘Can I have the lot number?’ So I gave her the lot number, and she paused and informed me that this lot number was not in their system,” she said. Jess reveals the lot number, T06915.
She says Advil told her it would open an investigation into the missing lot number. Jess also contacted her local Target, where she purchased the medication.
“I don’t know what’s in this bottle. I’m glad I went with my gut and did not give this to my kids,” she says.
She holds up a sealed bottle of Tylenol to show the plastic safety seal parents should look for before giving medicine to their children.
“Please be aware, and please be safe out there,” she says.
What do parents think of the missing safety seal?
In the comments, other parents share their thoughts about the missing safety seal. Some point to a 1982 case in which a still-unknown perpetrator laced Tylenol capsules with potassium cyanide, resulting in seven deaths. This case was the beginning of pharmaceutical companies improving safety measures for over-the-counter medications.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all over-the-counter medication packages to have a safety seal or tamper indicator.
“I just got the same exact kind today for my child and no plastic wrap and the cup was just sitting on the top! I’d love to know if yours has the same lot number as the one I got,” one writes.
“Wow. Thank you for being so vigilant sharing this experience,” another says.
“WHAT???? This is horrifying!!!!!!!!!! THANK GOD you trusted your gut feelings!!!” a third adds.
Others share their experiences with medicine that had potentially been tampered with.
“I am 34, and for the 1st time ever, I bought a bottle of off brand ibuprofen, with the foil cap not punctured, but carefully taken off and put back on! So I smelled it, and it smelled WIERD!!” a viewer says.
What did the investigation find?
In a follow-up videoJess reveals that Advil found that the lot number was valid. However, she expresses concern that she was told a different story the first time she called.
“They’re still continuing their investigation,” she says. “I still have (the bottle) for now. I’m not giving it to my kids.”
While some viewers suggest Jess send it for testing, she says she has no plans to send it off for private testing on her own dime.
“Not sure why I was originally told differently, but sleeping a little easier tonight knowing it wasn’t a scarier situation,” she writes in the caption.
@jess.christine1995 📢 PSA 📢 ALWAYS CHECK BRAND NEW MEDICATION BOTTLES!!! I got this box of Advil delivered last night, and when I opened it, there was no safety seal on the bottle. I had a bad feeling so I did not give it to my kids. I called the 1-800 number today, only to be told the lot number (T06915) was NOT in their system. They have started an investigation, my local Target has been notified, and I am retaining the product in the event it is need it for testing. I’m shaking from the thought of what could have happened had if I hadn’t been paying attention. I’m just so thankful God protected my kids and I went with the urging to call the company. Please be careful and make sure your family is educated about this. #childrensmedicine #psa #pleasebeaware #fyp #Foryoupage ♬ original sound – jess.christine1995
The Daily Dot reached out to Jess, Target, and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, the manufacturer of Advil, for further comment.
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