Can you Safely Take Expired Medications?
If you were to open your medicine cabinet right now, what would you find? Amidst the standard toiletry finds, do you have expired or otherwise unused medications? Many people have a difficult time throwing out medications, thinking they might need them one day. Especially in this season of inflation and sticker shock just about everywhere, the thought of throwing out “perfectly good” medicines can seem wasteful. The truth is, this might be one situation where being quick to dispose of leftover products is the smart way to go. You might be doing more harm than good by failing to properly dispose of old medical products – here’s why:
- Medications that have passed their expiration date can be dangerous, or at the very least, less effective. Past their expiration date, some medical products are at risk for growing bacteria. Others are at risk for developing an undeterminable decrease in potency, meaning you can’t establish a safe or effective dosage amount. Using expired antibiotics is especially dangerous, as these can fail to fully treat infections, leading to your system becoming resistant to antibiotics, and not to mention you could develop a more serious illness.
- Expired medications can be dangerous if ingested by children or pets. The CDC reports that each year an average of 50,000 young children are seen in emergency rooms due to unmonitored medication usage. The fewer medical products you have on hand, the easier they are to keep track of.
- Keeping unneeded opioids around can lead to intentional misuse. These controlled substances can fall into the hands of people wishing to profit from your old illness or injury, contributing to the growing drug abuse problem in America.
- Unfortunately, disposing of old medications is not as easy as one might think. Some medications can contaminate water supply, so it’s not safe to flush them down the toilet. Same with just tossing medications in the trash. Unwanted drugs are still chemically active when thrown away, and doing so can put trash handlers and/or wildlife at risk. Even when mixed with other ingredients like kitty litter or coffee grounds, medications thrown in the trash can still leach into water supply, or become an unsafe food source to wildlife.
So what ARE you supposed to do with expired medical products? One reason we’re talking about this right now is because National Prescription Take Back Day is April 22nd, 2023. You can find locations near you that are participating in this event. Please note that new collection sites are being added regularly: DEA Office of Diversion Control, NTBI Site Search Screen (NTBI Saturday, April 22, 2023 ) (usdoj.gov)
Also, residents of Fountain Hills can safely dispose of medications in the permanent drug drop box in the Maricopa County Sherriff’s office, or can seek out a nearby pharmacy that serves as a disposal site here: Results – Safe.Pharmacy
A good rule of thumb is to dispose of any and all medical products as soon as you notice that they are expired. And if you’re unsure whether you might need it again in the future, let us worry about that part. Simply come in to our medical clinic and let one of our medical professionals review your medical history, your diagnoses, all medications, and your symptoms, and we can discuss with you any medication question you have.
Sources:
- fda.gov
- apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov
- takebackyourmeds.org
- goodrx.com
