What's in your medicine cabinet?
Is your over-the-counter or prescription drug safe?
Many times a recall doesn't go into effect until many months or even years after a problem was first detected. For example, a problem with Tylenol was first suspected in September 2008, but Johnson & Johnson did not conduct a full investigation or report the problem to the FDA until September 2009, a full year after the problem's detection.
How can we as consumers make sure that OTC or prescription drugs are safe for our families? Start by following these 7 easy tips for a safer medicine cabinet:
1. Look and smell before you swallow. Before you take OTC medications, ask yourself: Does the medicine look or smell strange? Generally, if something smells bad - don't use it. Johnson & Johnson and the FDA reported that the moldy smell reported by Tylenol consumers was caused by trace amounts of a chemical that is sometimes applied to the wood pallets used to store and transport Tylenol, Rolaids and other products.
2. Know your meds. If the OTC or prescription drug is something that you take regularly, research it thoroughly. What are the side effects? Should you avoid it for other reasons? Are there any known long-term effects?
3. Talk to your MD. Make sure your medical provider knows about all OTC and prescription drugs you are taking, including any natural supplements. Drug combinations can produce serious consequences. They may even be deadly.
4. Consider other options. If you need an OTC or prescription drug only occasionally, find out if there are lifestyle choices you can make to improve the problem. For example, if you suffer from heartburn, will avoiding certain foods help the problem?
5. Be wary of fads. Be skeptical of the latest prescription "flavor of the month." Remember, pharmaceutical companies have deep pockets and large marketing departments. Ask lots of questions about new or heavily advertised drugs, and make sure you and your doctor understand potential side effects.
6. Keep your prescriptions close. Closely monitor all of your prescriptions and OTC drugs. This may seem obvious but misuse of medicines is very common. Do not share your prescription with anyone. Something that works well for you may be lethal to someone else.
7. Stay organized. Go through your medicine cabinet regularly. Check expiration dates and properly dispose of any expired medicine. If you have medicine sitting around long past its expiration date, be mindful of all the options you have before you dump it in the trash or flush it down the toilet. Contact your local hazardous waste facility and ask about their recommendations for expired medicine.
Being conscious, educated consumers is more important now than ever. If we all take better care to properly research OTC and prescription drugs, we may reduce the number of dangerous drugs there are on the market and become a healthier society.
Check here for the full list of recalled over-the-counter medicine.