Safe Ways to Get Rid of Expired, Unused MedicineWATCH SEGMENT ON KFOR-TV Cleaning out the medicine cabinet is a chore that most people don’t think about, but it’s an important task that can help prevent medication problems and protect children who may have access to these old, unused drugs. Here’s how you can clean out your medicine cabinet so it’s safe and useful. Return Them You can also drop off her unused meds at designated police departments, fire stations, and other sites on National Prescription Take Back Day, Saturday, April 27. To find a collection site near you, visit TakeBackDay.dea.gov. Use a Disposal Kiosk Throw Them Out But don’t do this with dangerous drugs, such as opioids, which can be abused. For these, the FDA says flushing them down the toilet is OK. But trace amounts of drugs can end up in the water supply so this should be done only as a last resort. To see the FDA list of medications that should be flushed when they are no longer needed, go to FDA.gov and type “flush list” into the search box. Or, another option is to purchase some medication disposal bags like the Medsaway Medication Disposal System. These are carbon pouches that are designed to neutralize all medication including narcotics, liquid medication, transdermal patches and controlled substances so you can just add water, and toss them in the trash. You can find medication disposal bags at some local pharmacies or online at Amazon.com for around $15. You’ll also want to make sure to scratch out all your personal information on the empty medicine bottles or other packaging before throwing it away to protect her identity and privacy. If you have other questions about proper drug disposal, talk to your pharmacist. |