Why Are Pill Bottles Orange?

Whether you take medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, or another need, the pharmacy often tucks an orange pill bottle inside that paper bag. In fact, if you regularly take prescriptions, you could probably open your medicine cabinet right now to a row of nearly identical containers—making it tough to find the right one on your first glance. So, why are pill bottles orange? Why don’t we use different colors?

It turns out that the orange hue doesn’t just harken back to the days when apothecaries offered amber vials for the public. It provides major protection for medication, something some other colors just don’t.

To put it simply, orange pill bottles protect medication from light.

The importance of using orange pill bottles

Many of us have experienced the discomfort of a sunburn. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are a form of radiation, and not an insignificant one—the Mayo Clinic reminds us that under some circumstances, an individual could get a harmful sunburn in less than 15 minutes.

Just as our skin is composed of cells and molecules, so is a drug with its very specific chemical composition. “Light-induced chemical changes” can occur, explains Britannica, and the molecules can be altered, impacting and degrading the effectiveness of a medication.

The translucent orange bottle, however, blocks the sun’s harmful UV rays, keeping the prescription’s quality intact.

Why translucent orange?

Orange pill bottles can minimize the amount of light that can reach the prescription and prevent potential chemical changes that could occur as the result of the sun’s UV rays.

However, orange pill bottles aren’t the only ones capable of blocking the sun’s rays. Opaque white pill bottles also protect medication, blocking out UV light—making it a better choice for photo-sensitive drugs.

Unlike opaque white bottles though, translucent orange bottles allow you to easily see its contents without having to open it. It’s why amber glasses are sometimes used for sporting activities: Vision experts point out that this color can “heighten contrast” so you can identify which pills are inside to help ensure you’re taking the correct one at the correct time.

Other reasons we use orange pill bottles

Experts say there are two other major benefits to using orange bottles. First, using orange makes pill bottles easy to spot. No matter how crowded your medicine cabinet is or how messy your purse is, that bright pop of orange is likely to stand out.

Orange bottles are also synonymous with pharmaceuticals. Anytime you see an orange pill bottle, you know that there’s a prescribed drug in there. This makes it easy to distinguish prescriptions from over-the-counter medication and other small bottles you may have in your home (though it’s important to follow the indicated dosage and other instructions on the bottle, no matter what you’re taking).

Some pet families have found the orange may help distinguish a veterinary prescription, which at times are filled in green bottles.

No matter what color your pills come in or what kind you take, this is a good reminder to keep your stash out of the sun and in a cooler area of your home. Understanding a little science this way can help ensure your meds do the job to help you feel your best.

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