Taking Medicine Safely

Store medicines in a cool, dry, dark place, such as a high cupboard, away from moisture or heat.

Medicine is given to help treat or prevent illness. But if you don't take it correctly, it might not help. It might even harm you. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you learn the right way to take your medicine. Listed below are some tips to help you take medicine safely.

Safety Tips

• Have a routine for taking each medicine. Make it part of something you do each day, such as brushing your teeth or eating a meal.

• When you go to the hospital or your doctor's office, bring all your current medicines in their original boxes or bottles. If you can't do that, bring an up-to-date list of your medicines.

• Do not stop taking a prescription medicine unless your doctor tells you to. Doing so could make your condition worse.

• Do not share medicines.

• Let your doctor and pharmacist know of any allergies you have.

• Taking prescription medicines with alcohol, street drugs, herbs, supplements, or even some over-the-counter medicines can be harmful. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these things while taking a prescription medicine.

• When filling your prescriptions, try using the same pharmacy for all your medicines. If not, let the pharmacist know what medicines you are already on.

• Keep medicines out of the reach of children and pets.

• Do not use medicine that has expired or that doesn't look or smell right. Get rid of it properly. To find out the right way to get rid of medicine:

  • Call your city or county government's household trash and recycling service and ask if a drug take-back program is available in your community.

  • Call your local pharmacy and ask the right way to get rid of the medicine.

  • Go to http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653 to learn how to get rid of medicines safely.