Table of Contents
FDA Consumer magazine
March-April 2000

Your Medicine Cabinet Needs an Annual Checkup, Too

by Carol Lewis

What kind of medicines and other health products should you keep on hand to treat minor ailments or injuries? More importantly, where's the best place in the house to keep them? Here's what doctors, nurses and pharmacists at FDA recommend:

Must-Have's for Home Medical Care

Contrary to age-old tradition, a bathroom medicine cabinet is not a good place to keep OTC (over-the-counter or nonprescription) or prescription medications. Showers and baths create heat and humidity that can cause some drugs to deteriorate rapidly. A cool, dark and dry place such as the top of a linen closet, preferably in a locked container and out of a child's reach, is best for storing medicines.

• Clean out your bathroom medicine cabinet and the area where you store medicines at least once a year.
• Discard outdated products, damaged containers, and old supplies.
• Restock supplies that are low or missing.
• Keep all items in their original containers so that no one takes the wrong one.

Taking these measures can't prevent illness or accidents, but they can help you be prepared to treat such minor emergencies promptly and effectively.

Carol Lewis is a staff writer for FDA Consumer.

Selecting OTC Medicines

OTC medications are not without risk, says Thomas J. McGinnis, R.Ph., a pharmacist with the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Policy. The best way to become better informed is to read and understand the information on OTC labels and to talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions. Next to the medicine itself, FDA and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) agree that being informed is the most important part of self-care with nonprescription medications.

Here's what to look for on the label when selecting over-the-counter medicines:

• active ingredients and purpose
• uses--indications
• warnings--when not to use the medicine, when to stop taking the medicine, when to see a doctor, and possible side effects
• directions--dosage information
• any recent significant product changes
• expiration date--when to throw it out

In addition, make sure all tamper-resistant features are intact. Check what you can before you buy and again when you get the product home.

FDA hopes that the new federal regulation governing over-the-counter labels (see "New Drug Label Spells It Out Simply," July-August 1999 FDA Consumer) will improve the way consumers choose and use such products, just as the simplified "Nutrition Facts" labels have helped consumers eat less fat and otherwise improve their eating habits. In addition to some word swaps, the new rule requires that all OTC drug labels contain certain information--such as active and inactive ingredients, uses and warnings, and directions--in a standardized format. The goal of the uniform label is to help consumers:

• distinguish OTC drug products from other categories of products
• make product-to-product comparisons
• recognize where to find information.

The standard format will make the labels more legible and readable. Additionally, some products may contain a toll-free number to provide additional information about product use, as well as a way for consumers to ask about or report potential adverse events.

--C.L.

Home Health Care Advice from FDA Experts

Peter Rheinstein, M.D., retired medicine staff director for FDA's Office of Health Affairs:

"Check expiration dates frequently. Most people are unaware that first-aid kits even have expiration dates."

"Keep important health service numbers near the telephone. It may be convenient also to keep the same numbers posted near the medicine cabinet."

Aleta Sindelar, R.N., Senior Science Policy Analyst, CVM:

"Wash all cuts and scrapes thoroughly with soap and water before applying antibiotic ointment."

"Do not give aspirin to children because it has been linked to Reye syndrome--a rare disorder that affects the brain and liver and in some instances, can kill children. Check with your doctor for a suitable substitute for reducing a child's fever."

"Never refer to medications as candy." (If children find medicine on their own, they're likely to remember that you called it candy.)

Thomas J. McGinnis, R.Ph., a pharmacist with FDA's Office of Policy:

"Give syrup of ipecac only after talking with your doctor or a Poison Control Center expert. Some ingested poisons are treated differently."

"Pay particular attention to dosing instructions. The potency levels of medications intended for children are very different from those intended for adults. Consumers should always use the dosing instrument that comes with the package."

Be especially careful with iron-containing supplements. "Iron tablets are one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in children."

"Keep all items in their original containers so that no one takes the wrong one."

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