MEDICINE CABINET MAKEOVER

PHARMACIST SHARES TIPS ON WHAT TO KEEP AND WHAT TO TOSS IN YOUR FAMILY’S MEDICINE CABINET

Mark your calendars now – those leftover OTC and prescriptions in your medicine cabinet have got to go. Chances are, if you open your medicine cabinet, you’ll find some some leftover medication that “might come in handy someday.” The reality is, those medications may have expired and are either ineffective or may cause more harm than you know. With cold and flu season upon us, it’s a great time to purge the medicine cabinet. Better to prepare now than scramble when you are sick. Clean out clutter and stock up on the staples!

Pharmacist and Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Dr. Ed Krenzelok will share his expert tips to help get rid of overly packed medicine cabinets and stay up to date on the latest health innovations.
Dr. Krenzelok will help you decide on what to keep and what to toss, plus give you some updated information on the latest over the counter products.

Some of Dr. Krenzelok’s tips will include:
Toss expired medications and products: Once you’ve opened a medication, or hygiene product, the clock starts ticking on its shelf life. Things are usually good for about a year from when they’re opened.
Child-proof your cabinet: Medicine cabinets are not safe from curious children. If you must store medications in the medicine cabinet, install a child-resistant lock on the cabinet..
Safely discard your medications: Landfill sites and water supplies become tainted with discarded medicines. A trip to the pharmacy is the safest way to discard of expired medication.
Have the basics: replace any old toothbrushes and stock up on every day basics such as toothpaste, mouthwash, lotions and contact solution.
Replenish your stock: acetaminophen for fevers, aches and pains, something for motion sickness, an anti-diarrheal product, bandages and allergy medication.
Consider your storage location: ‘Medicine Cabinet’ is a misnomer. Rethink where you keep your medicines. Humidity from steamy showers can expedite the expiry of medication. It’s best to keep them in a dry, cool place.

 

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