Have expired prescription medication in your cabinet?

We recommend disposing of them properly.

The FDA has published recommended instructions on how to dispose of expired medications in order to reduce the risk of others accidentally taking them, or from intentional misuse. Go to instructions on FDA website. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sometime hosts National Prescription Drug Take-Back events where collection sites are set up in communities across the US. The Austin Police Department recently offered this service and designated drop-off locations where you could properly dispose of your unwanted or expired medications. You can also contact our local waste management services (dial 3-1-1) to ask about medication disposal options.

If you can’t find a time or location for drop-off, you can dispose of pharmacy prescriptions in your household trash. Some medicines can be flushed down the toilet when they are no longer needed – please reference the article link to get a list of these medications. For all other medications, make sure you follow these 4 steps:

• Mix medicine with undesirable materials like dirt, kitty litter, or coffee grounds. (Note: Do not crush tablets or capsules.)
• Place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag or container.
• Throw away the bag or container.
• Scratch out all personal information from the pharmacy label on the bottle and dispose of the empty bottle or container.

We want you and your loved ones to be safe. So, when you’re cleaning out your medicine cabinet this spring, be sure to keep these tips from the FDA in mind. Your children, grandchildren, and pets will thank you! For more advice, stop by the pharmacy and ask Aaron. We are always here to help.