Take only what has been prescribed for you, complete the course you were given, keep a written list of everything you take, store medicines cool and dry away from children, and never use a medicine past its expiry date.
Keep one list of everything you take
This is the single most useful thing you can do. Write down every medicine, including those bought without a prescription, plus vitamins, supplements and any traditional or herbal remedies. Keep it in your wallet or on your phone.
Doctors can only check for interactions between things they know about. Herbal and traditional remedies are frequently left out of the conversation, and some of them genuinely do interact with prescription medicines.
Storing medicines
- Cool, dry and out of direct sunlight
- Out of the reach and sight of children — many poisonings at home involve medicines
- Not in the bathroom or above the stove, where heat and humidity break medicines down
- Keep medicines in their original packaging so the name, strength and expiry stay visible
- Medicines marked for refrigeration must be kept cold, but not frozen
Expiry dates
An expiry date is the point up to which the manufacturer guarantees the medicine's strength and stability. After it, the medicine may be weaker than it says — which matters enormously for antibiotics and emergency medicines.
Clear out your medicine box a couple of times a year. Where your pharmacy accepts returned medicines for safe disposal, use that rather than the bin or the toilet.
Antibiotics deserve particular care
Three rules that matter
- Take antibiotics only when a doctor prescribes them — they do nothing for colds, flu or viral fever
- Complete the full course, even after you feel better
- Never keep leftover antibiotics for next time, and never share them
Every unnecessary course makes bacteria more likely to become resistant. That is not an abstract problem — it means a future infection, in you or someone you know, becomes harder to treat.
Common mistakes that cause real harm
- Doubling up on paracetamol. Many cold and flu combination products already contain it. Taking a separate paracetamol tablet alongside one can quietly push you over the safe daily limit.
- Stopping blood pressure or diabetes medicine because the numbers look good. The numbers are good because the medicine is working.
- Taking someone else's prescription because the symptoms sound similar.
- Crushing or opening capsules that are designed to release slowly. Ask your pharmacist first if swallowing is difficult.
- Using a kitchen spoon to measure a child's syrup instead of the measuring cup supplied.
When to get urgent help
Go to hospital immediately if
- Anyone has taken more medicine than they should have — including paracetamol, even if they feel completely fine
- There is swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing after a medicine
- A widespread rash appears with dizziness or fever after starting a new medicine
- A child has swallowed any medicine that was not meant for them
For suspected poisoning, take the medicine packet with you to hospital. Knowing exactly what and how much was taken changes the treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to take medicine after the expiry date?
No. After the expiry date the manufacturer no longer guarantees the medicine's strength or stability. An expired medicine may be weaker, which matters a great deal for antibiotics and emergency medicines. Return old medicines to a pharmacy where possible rather than keeping them.
Can I take two medicines together?
Sometimes, but not always — some combinations reduce how well a medicine works and others increase side effects. Keep a written list of everything you take, including supplements and traditional remedies, and show it to your doctor and pharmacist.
Is it safe to take someone else's prescription?
No. A prescription is written for one person's diagnosis, weight, kidney and liver function and other medicines. The same tablet can be ineffective or harmful for someone else, even with similar symptoms.
Where should I store medicines at home?
In a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and out of reach of children. Bathrooms and kitchens are poor choices because of heat and humidity. Medicines marked for refrigeration, such as many insulins, must be kept in the fridge but not frozen.