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Starting fresh with a new year or spring cleaning is a common practice that exts to one's medicine cabinet as well. The United States Food and Drug Administration began requiring an expiration date on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines in 1979, recognizing its importance for ensuring safety and efficacy.
The expiration date serves as a crucial indicator of whether a product remns safe and effective for use. Found on the label or stamped onto packaging with EXP following it, this date prompts you to adhere to when determining if your medicine should be used. Overstepping this mark carries risks; expired medical products can deteriorate in quality or become ineffective due to chemical changes, potentially resulting in weaker medications that fl to treat infections effectively.
Inappropriate use of expired medicines may lead to harm and antibiotic resistance. Beyond these concerns, using them poses significant dangers for your health. If you find an expired medicine in your cabinet, it's crucial not to use it.
The risk is exacerbated by improper disposal of outdated or unused drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration DEA notes that many individuals are unaware of the correct method for cleaning out their medicine cabinets. This oversight often results in medications ing up in unauthorized hands through misuse, leading to tragic incidents like nearly 50,000 young children being hospitalized annually due to accidental ingestions.
Moreover, expired medicines pose an additional risk by potentially harming children or pets if misused accidentally. Therefore, it is essential that we take the necessary steps to dispose of old medications responsibly.
What should you do with expired medicine?
Start by reading the label for any specific disposal . Your primary course of action should be utilizing drug take-back programs when avlable. A prime example is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day coordinated by DEA, which serves as a vital platform addressing public safety and health issues by promoting proper disposal methods.
As many tons of unnecessary and outdated drugs have been safely removed for disposal through this program, it's essential to recognize the importance it holds in keeping communities safe. In cases where drug take-back programs are unavlable, federal guidelines recomm disposing of medicines by mixing them with substances like dirt or kitty litter before sealing and throwing away in household trash.
Certn medications require flushing down a toilet or sink instead of discarding as they could be fatal for children, pets, or others if ingested accidentally. To determine which medicines to flush and other detls about proper disposal, please visit the FDA's Disposal of Unused Medicines page.
Proper storage ensures that your medicine remns safe and effective until its expiration date arrives. Always check labels for specific storage instructions, as it can vary from refrigeration requirements to avoiding high temperatures. Improper storage due to dampness or changes in temperature can compromise the efficacy of medicines before their expiration.
When storing medicine in the kitchen cabinet, ensure it is not within reach of children who might accidentally ingest it and avoid areas with high traffic that may tempt misuse for abuse or other purposes.
Keep your medicine safely stored in a cool and dry environment like a dresser drawer, storage box, closet shelf, or kitchen cabinet. Avoid storing near hot appliances or the sink to prevent temperature fluctuations and humidity changes that can affect your medicines' quality.
: it's never worth taking the risk with expired medicines. Proper disposal of unused drugs is essential for safeguarding your health and others'.
For more information:
Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know
Up and Away and Out of Sight
External Link
Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations
Don't Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines Chinese version 不要试图服用过期药物
No cga en la tentacion de usar medicinas vencidas
Content Current as of:
02082021
This article is reproduced from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/dont-be-tempted-use-expired-medicines
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Expired Medicines: Risk and Responsibility Safely Disposing of Outdated Drugs Using FDA Guidelines for Medicine Storage Expiration Date Importance in Medicine Safety Proper Medicine Handling to Avoid Harm National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative