Print
Email
Save
Medicine can help keep you healthy. But if you don’t take it correctly, it could harm you. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you learn the right way to take your medicine. Listed below are some things you can do to take your 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. Or, bring an up-to-date list of your medicines.
-
Keep medicines out of the reach of children and pets. Store medicines in a cool, dry, dark place—not in the bathroom or in the kitchen near moisture or heat.
-
Do not use medicine that has expired or that doesn’t look right. Flush old medicine down the toilet.
-
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.
-
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.
Using Generic Medicines
Medicines have brand names and generic (chemical) names. When a medicine is first developed, it is sold only under its brand name. Later, it can be sold under a generic name. Generic medicines cost less than brand-name medicines and most work just as well. Most people can use the generic medicine instead of the brand-name medicine, unless their doctor says otherwise.