Medication Safety 101
Safe medication practices are crucial for protecting your health and the health of your loved ones. Whether you’re managing a daily prescription or using over-the-counter remedies, understanding the basics of medication safety helps prevent accidental overdoses, misuse, and environmental harm.
In this guide, we’ll cover the key components of medication safety—dosing, storage, and disposal—with practical strategies you can use at home.
Why Medication Safety Matters
Medication errors can happen to anyone and are a leading cause of preventable harm in healthcare. Simple mistakes like taking the wrong dose or leaving medicine within reach of children can have serious consequences.
By following recommended safety guidelines, you help keep your household safe and reduce the risk of accidents.
Safe Medication Dosing: Avoiding Common Mistakes
Measuring medications accurately is essential for getting the right dose and avoiding dangerous errors. Liquid medications—like cough syrups or children’s medicines—are especially prone to dosing mistakes.
Key tips for accurate dosing:
Always measure liquid medications using milliliters (mL), not household spoons.
Avoid using teaspoons or dining spoons, which can lead to significant dosing errors.
Ask your pharmacist for a medication syringe, dosing cup, or another approved measuring device.
Double-check the medication label and instructions before taking any dose.
If you’re unsure about the correct dose, contact your pharmacist or doctor for clarification.
Accurate dosing is especially important for children, as small errors can have a bigger impact.
How to Store Medications Safely at Home
Proper storage is critical to keep medications effective and out of reach of children or pets.
Tips for medication storage:
Store medicines in a secure location, away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
Use high cabinets or lockable drawers if children or vulnerable adults are present.
Consider using child safety locks for extra protection.
When traveling, store medications in a safe place, like a locked suitcase or the hotel room safe.
After each use, ensure the safety cap is tightly closed.
For those who have trouble remembering their doses, timer caps or automated pill dispensers can help track medication schedules.
By storing medications safely, you minimize the risk of accidental ingestion or misuse.
Proper Disposal of Expired or Unused Medications
Disposing of medications the right way protects both your family and the environment.
Best practices for medication disposal:
Use a drug take back program or pharmacy medication drop-off box whenever possible.
Remove personal information from prescription bottles before disposal.
If a take back program isn’t available:
Mix medications (do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unappealing substance like used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter.
Place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag or container, then throw it in the household trash.
Never flush medications unless the label or patient information specifically instructs you to do so.
Note: Herbal supplements should not be placed in medication drop-off boxes—dispose of these in household waste following the same mixing method.
Proper disposal helps prevent medication misuse, accidental poisoning, and contamination of water sources.
Medication Safety for Families and Seniors
Children and seniors are particularly vulnerable to medication errors.
Always keep medications out of reach and sight of children.
Educate older adults on the importance of using pill organizers, reminders, and keeping an up-to-date medication list.
Consult your pharmacist about ways to prevent double-dosing or missed doses.
The Bottom Line
Taking a few simple steps to ensure safe dosing, storage, and disposal of medications can prevent harm and promote health for your entire household. When in doubt, your pharmacist or healthcare provider is your best resource for medication safety questions.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, February 28). Protect your children: Store & use medicines safely. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/patientsafety/features/safe-medicine-children.html
FDA. (n.d.). Where and how to dispose of unused medicines. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines
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