Storing and Disposing of Prescription Medications

The smart solution to prescription drug storage and disposal.

Put your drugs in a box on a closet shelf, says Paul Doering of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. That will help keep the meds out of the heat and humidity in the bathroom -- and out of the hands of kids. While you're at it, get rid of any expired or leftover medications.

Expired drugs can lose their potency, so never self-medicate with an old prescription. Traces of pharmaceuticals have been detected in groundwater, so don't flush your expired pills. See if your pharmacy has a take-back program to dispose of old medications, or crush the drugs and mix them with coffee grounds in a sealed plastic bag and toss. They're less likely to get into the water supply, and there's no danger of anyone ingesting them.

From Reader's Digest - July 2008

 

• • Your Medical Care
• • Storage Solutions
• • Bathrooms
• • Prescription Drugs

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• Use this handy chart to decipher common label warnings.
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• New Safeguard Against Medication Conflicts
• This portable USB drive protects you from dangerous medication interactions.
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• Understanding Prescription Medication
• What is the FDA doing to make prescriptions more patient-friendly?
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• One Drug, Many Tragedies
• A doctor blows the whistle on a dangerous new drug that wrongfully received FDA approval.
• 

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