Winter has arrived and with it colds and flu. If you’re thinking of using meds that have been in the cabinet for months—don’t do it.
Spokesperson for pharmaceutical company Pharma Dynamics Nicole Jennings says keeping unused medication is not advised as it can lead to misuse and accidental overdose.
“Leftover medication is often used to self-medicate but, when the wrong combination of medicines is mixed to treat minor ailments, the consequences could be serious.”
According to a Twitter poll by Pharma Dynamics, 89% of people haven’t cleared their medicine cabinets in the past two years.
Hoarding medication might seem like saving for a rainy day but there’s a chance that it’ll bring more rainy ones. Taking medication when it’s expired is at best ineffective and, at worst, toxic.
Jennings also encourages people to complete the course of their antibiotics because stopping and resuming later can lead to antibiotic resistance, which is hard to treat.
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Winter has arrived and with it colds and flu. If you’re thinking of using meds that have been in the cabinet for months—don’t do it.
Spokesperson for pharmaceutical company Pharma Dynamics Nicole Jennings says keeping unused medication is not advised as it can lead to misuse and accidental overdose.
“Leftover medication is often used to self-medicate but, when the wrong combination of medicines is mixed to treat minor ailments, the consequences could be serious.”
According to a Twitter poll by Pharma Dynamics, 89% of people haven’t cleared their medicine cabinets in the past two years.
Hoarding medication might seem like saving for a rainy day but there’s a chance that it’ll bring more rainy ones. Taking medication when it’s expired is at best ineffective and, at worst, toxic.
Jennings also encourages people to complete the course of their antibiotics because stopping and resuming later can lead to antibiotic resistance, which is hard to treat.
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In addition, if there are children in the house, easy access to multiple medicines can be fatal.
“About 40% of calls to the Poisons Information Centre at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital concerning children under the age of five are due to the ingestion of medicines,” Jennings says.
Tips for keeping your medicine cabinet healthy:
When cleaning out your medicine cabinet, do not throw medicines in the bin because children and pets could find them.
Flushing them down the toilet is also not advisable as trace amounts can contaminate the water supply and potentially harm aquatic life. Rather take discarded medications to a pharmacy, so they can dispose of them safely.
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