eli5: Why do some pills come loose in a bottle like Tylenol, while others are in separate pouches?

Question

Why do some pills, like Tylenol, come in a loose form inside a bottle, while others are individually packaged in separate pouches?

Is this because some pills are more abused/misused? Does size play a factor? Small Pill = Different packaging.

In: 147

Answer 1

Many times blister packs are used to protect the tablet or softgel from moisture (why foil is used). The drug product only gets exposed to ambient conditions when the blister seal is broken versus when the bottle is opened. In general Europe prefers blisters and the US bottles. Bottles are generally cheaper because you don’t need a blister machine, just a bottle, dessicant, and an induction sealer.