Non-tearable child resistant blister package

Abstract

A non-tearable child resistant blister package and method of utilizing same are disclosed. The package may include a unitary blister sheet and a unitary sheet of lidding material. The lidding sheet is preferably peelably sealed to the blister sheet, and includes unsealed areas for facilitating the peeling of the lidding material from the blister sheet. These unsealed areas are only accessible by cutting at least a portion of the blister package.

1 . A non-tearable blister package comprising: 
 a unitary blister sheet defining a plurality of unit package regions, each unit package region including a recess having an open top and a flange surrounding the recess; and    a unitary sheet of lidding material peelably sealed to said flanges, said blister sheet and said sheet of lidding material defining unsealed areas for facilitating peeling of said lidding material from said blister sheet, wherein said unsealed areas are only accessible by cutting at least a portion of said blister package.    
   
   
       2 . The blister package according to  claim 1 , further including indicia for directing the cutting of said blister package.  
   
   
       3 . The blister package according to  claim 1 , wherein said blister sheet includes six unit package regions.  
   
   
       4 . The blister package according to  claim 3 , wherein at least two cuts must be made to access all of said unsealed areas.  
   
   
       5 . The blister package according to  claim 1 , wherein said recess includes walls and a closed bottom.  
   
   
       6 . The blister package according to  claim 5 , wherein a dosage form may be disposed in said recess and engages said walls of said recess so that said walls hold said dosage form away from said closed bottom and adjacent said lidding material so that there is an empty space between each said dosage form and said closed bottom of said recess.  
   
   
       7 . A packaged dosage form including a package as claimed in  claim 1  and a plurality of pharmaceutical dosage forms disposed in said recesses.  
   
   
       8 . The packaged dosage form claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutical dosage forms are fentanyl.  
   
   
       9 . A method of removing a frangible dosage form from a blister package comprising: 
 providing a blister package having a blister sheet defining a plurality of unit package regions, each unit package region including a recess having an open top and a flange surrounding the recess and a unitary sheet of lidding material peelably sealed to said flanges, said blister sheet and said sheet of lidding material defining unsealed areas for facilitating peeling of said lidding material from said blister sheet, wherein said unsealed areas are only accessible by cutting at least a portion of said blister package;    cutting at least a portion of said blister package to reveal at least one of said unsealed areas;    peeling away at least a portion of said lidding material to reveal at least one dosage form disposed in said recess; and    removing said at least one dosage form from said recess.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said cutting step includes making multiple cuts.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said cutting step includes separating at least one unit package region from the other unit package regions.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said cutting step reveals multiple unsealed areas.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said pealing step includes pealing away a section of lidding material corresponding to said unit package region.  
   
   
       14 . A method of removing a dosage form from a blister package comprising: 
 providing a blister sheet including unit package regions and a lidding sheet for sealing the unit package regions, the lidding sheet including peelable and non-peelable areas, the non-peelable areas surrounding the package periphery;    accessing the peelable areas with a cutting instrument.    
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further including the step of peeling away the lidding sheet.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further including the step of removing the dosage form.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the cutting instrument is a scissor.