Disposing of Unused Medications

When the medicine cabinet is full to overflowing, what is the solution? For all their remarkable benefits, medications carry certain risks and responsibilities. Old medicines may go out of date and lose their effectiveness. Leftover pills may provide a means to self-medicate for a new problem without a doctor’s advice, a fairly common but still potentially dangerous practice. And certain medications, for example “pain pills,” may pose a temptation to the recreational drug user.
The February Advantage EAP Newsletter summarizes advice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on proper disposal of medications
FDA guidelines for the safe disposal of a broad range of medications are available at http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm