Expired medications can be dangerous if not disposed of properly. Our guide offers simple and effective methods for safely disposing of medication, no matter what form it comes in.
People buy a lot of medicines in advance to prepare for future medical problems, sometimes as part of health insurance coverage. Then they often find unused, partially open, or expired medicines in the med cabinets. Leaving them unattended and not disposing of them puts others at risk of ingesting a medication that's not meant for them or is expired. Hence, performing a regular check on these medicines for expiry dates and the importance of usage in the future becomes extremely important.
Not only should you take care of unused medicines, but you should also be careful while disposing of them, as they can be potentially hazardous to stray animals as well as the environment. So, here's a guide on how to dispose of medicine safely, keeping everyone and everything in mind.
The first step towards medicine disposal is organizing the medicines into separate boxes for the ones you need and the ones you don't. Next, make a list of the medicines that you need as per the required dosage. Medicines that are expired or no longer needed due to changes in dosage or other factors should be kept in a separate box.
Put the ones that are well within the expiry date and comply with your necessary dosage in another box. If some are pretty close to the expiration date, do not hesitate to throw them away, lest you forget later and continue their usage.
Certain guidelines have been listed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for disposing of unused or expired medicines. Certain medicines can be flushed down the toilet without harming the environment, and the list of such medicines is available on the FDA website.
Some medicines can be thrown away in the trash, but by following certain medicine disposal guidelines such as the following-
• Taking out the entire packaging and simply throwing away the medicines without their covering to prevent others from using them.
• Grind or simply mix with substances that will be kept away from animals and children, such as dirt.
• Do not crush tablets or capsules.
• Placing the medicines in a sealed plastic container and throwing them away.
Get health insurance to cover your medical expenses and evade any financial burden.
Accidents or sudden medical emergencies can happen at any time. A health insurance policy insures the bearer in cases of treatments, hospitalization, ICU/room rent, ambulance charges, etc. Medicines and doctor visits are also insured under insurance. With a good insurance policy, you can get the following benefits.
• 24×7 medical emergency facility
• Cashless treatment
• Less paperwork
• Fast and hassle-free reimbursement
• Coverage for treatments at the best hospitals.
Buying a good health insurance policy can help you avail medical treatment for emergencies and otherwise as per your needs and health conditions. You can even get coverage for all those expensive medicines that might have cost you a fortune.
Conclusion
Before throwing away any medicine, it is advisable to read the disposal guidelines, if any, printed on the packaging to ensure maximum safety and security for everyone involved. You should also get health insurance coverage for treatments and hospitalization.
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