Tips for Using Medicines Safely
Use this checklist to help avoid medication errors. Simple checks could save your life!
Select to download print version (PDF File, 1.1 MB). PDF Help.
Bring a list or a bag with all your medicines when you go to your doctor's office, the pharmacy, or the hospital
Include all prescription and over-the-counter
medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements that you use. If your doctor prescribes
a new medicine, ask if it is safe to use with your other medicines. Remind your
doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medicines.
Top of Page
Ask questions about your medicines
Ask questions and make sure you
understand the answers. Choose a pharmacist and doctor you feel comfortable
talking with about your health and medicines. Take a relative or friend with you to ask
questions and remind you about the answers later. Write down the answers.
Top of Page
Make sure your medicine is what the doctor ordered
Does the medicine seem
different than what your doctor wrote on the prescription or look different than what
you expected? Does a refill look like it is a different shape, color, or size than what
you were given before? If something seems wrong, ask the pharmacist to doublecheck
it. Most errors are first found by patients.
Ask how to use the medicine correctly
Read the directions on the label and other
information you get with your medicine. Have the pharmacist or doctor explain
anything you do not understand. Are there other medicines, foods, or activities (such
as driving, drinking alcohol, or using tobacco) that you should avoid while using the
medicine? Ask if you need lab tests to check how the medicine is working or to
make sure it doesn’t cause harmful side effects.
Top of Page
Ask about possible side effects
Side effects can occur with many medicines. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist what side effects to expect and which ones are serious.
Some side effects may bother you but will get better after you have been using the
medicine for a while. Call your doctor right away if you have a serious side effect or
if a side effect does not get better. A change in the medicine or the dose may be
needed.
Top of Page
Simple checks could save your life!
For more information, visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/ and http://www.fda.gov/usemedicinesafely/.
Top of Page
Check Your Medicines: Tips for Taking Medicines Safely
A DVD on this topic, combined with Next Steps after Your Diagnosis:
Finding Information and Support, is available on DVD. The combined
DVD, AHRQ Publication Number 07-M025-DVD, includes these two programs:
Check Your Medicines: Tips for Taking Medicines Safely: This
short DVD provides patients with five simple steps for taking their medications
safely and correctly, thus avoiding medication errors. Experts featured
include, Carolyn Clancy,M.D., Robert Muscalus, M.D., Gregg Meyer, and
David Bates, M.D.
Next Steps After Your Diagnosis: Finding Information and
Support : DVD features information
from AHRQ to help patients who have been diagnosed with an illness
to learn more about their condition and treatment options. It
aims to help patients not only find information and resources but
deal with the various physical and emotional aspects of a diagnosis. The
short program provides individuals with important questions they should
ask their doctor when they receive a diagnosis, and information to
help them understand their disease or condition, how it might be treated,
and what they need to know before making treatment decisions. Experts
featured include, Carolyn Clancy, M.D., Gregg Meyer, M.D. and Christine
Kovner, M.D.
Contact the AHRQ Clearinghouse for your free copy of the combined DVD
by sending an e-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov requesting
AHRQ Publication Number 07-M025-DVD.
AHRQ Publication No. 08-M044-A
(Replaces AHRQ Publication No. 07-M008-1)
Current as of April 2008
Internet Citation:
Check Your Medicines: Tips for Using Medicines Safely. AHRQ Pub. No. 08-M044-A, April 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/checkmeds.htm