How to Dispose of Medicine<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n

Proper Disposal of Medicine<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

No longer used and expired medications are a problem to keep around as they can be dangerous if they happen into the wrong hands, yet they can also become a problem if not disposed of properly. Therefore, the U.S. government has created a National Drug Take-back day that occurs twice a year in April and October. The next opportunity to participate in National Drug Take-back day<\/a> will occur on Oct 27, 2018<\/strong>. Use the DEA website<\/a> to learn about responsible drug disposal and locate a nearby location to visit later this month. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

If your medicine cabinet needs to be cleaned out of expired medications you no longer use then make use of this National take-back day. Since medications are ingested and generally carry a “use by” date or an expiration date, we decided to approach the subject. There is some controversy among the experts as to whether to take medications that are beyond these expiration dates. Drug companies perform strict testing of their products for a few years beyond production, verifying that the drugs have not deteriorated at that point. The question is how long beyond this testing do different drugs last? The answer is still uncertain. In the past, the FDA has authorized the automatic extension of expiration dates<\/a> on certain drugs that were in known shortage by another 6 months! There are also instances where the government has used expired drugs<\/a> from its stockpile. <\/p>\r\n

First off, don’t just throw away medicine simply because it has reached a printed date. Take a minute to see if it is a lifesaving medication, for instance nitroglycerine or insulin, or any type of antibiotic. Lifesaving medications and antibiotics, because of their purpose, should be full strength when used in order that they can fully do their most important job – without question. Although government tests have been done which show full strength beyond set dates, potency does decline with time. Also, as with foods, proper storage is key to extended shelf life. Therefore, for lifesaving medications at least, full strength may be essential and one should never mess with their life. Properly dispose of these types of medications if they are beyond their printed dates. If the medicine is for something less critical, for instance to relieve pain or stop an itch, then taking something possibly not quite as potent as it once was is more beneficial than taking nothing. Again, be sure the meds were properly stored and untampered. <\/p>\r\n

If you have decided that your medicine is indeed expired, then the next step is to figure out how to dispose of it in a way that is safe for both humans, animals and the environment. We will discuss acceptable methods of medication disposal. <\/p>\r\n\r\n

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