Go into your neighborhood pharmacy and it's unlikely you'll find aspirin or cold remedies or prescriptions that have passed their expiration dates. Unlike with most items, soon-to-expire prescription and nonprescription remedies don't make it to the discount bin.
Most medicines degrade with time. And when that happens, they can do more harm than good. So pharmacies get rid of them.
But those same pharmacists field questions on a daily basis about old medications people have kept at home. "I have some antibiotic from 1993. Is it still good?" a caller will ask.
And most folks don't regularly go through their own medicine chests to weed out the old, tired and broken-down remedies that dwell there.
That's why the American Pharmaceutical Association, the national professional society of the pharmacy industry, and McNeil Consumer Healthcare have banded together to put information on a new medicine cabinet safety campaign in pharmacies across the country. It presents the "Three R's" of medicine cabinet safety: Review, remove and restock.
The campaign has been launched now, because winter's coming and, with it, the cold and flu season.
A thorough review of the medicine cabinet should be conducted every year, according to pharmacist Tom Kametz of Rite Aid. "I get calls all the time from people who found a prescription they'd filled years ago. 'I forget what it's for.' I tell them prescriptions are safe to the date on the bottle. If there's no expiration date, they should be discarded after a year."
When pharmacists get products in a manufacturer's bottle, the expiration date is usually two or three years away. But once it's dispensed, it's usually good for about a year unless otherwise noted on the prescription. All nonprescription remedies have expirations dates on the packages, so it's important to keep the products in their packages. They're generally good for a year or two.
Most people don't even store their medications, prescription or not, in the right place to begin with. While the shelving behind the mirror in the bathroom is handy, it's not conducive to the longevity of medicines, which should be stored in a cool, dry place away from moisture and direct sunlight. Kitchen cabinets or hall closets are much better places to keep prescriptions and over-the-counter remedies.
The American Pharmaceutical Association even recommends using more than one medicine cabinet, "since availability and convenience are important." Important medicines and other healthcare products, including bandages, should be kept in places where family members spend a "significant amount of time," whether it's the car, the boat, a camper or somewhere else, like a garage or shop.
A lot of people stock up on cough and cold medications when the cold and flu season ends, because prices tend to go down a bit. That's fine, as long as the expiration dates are a long way off.
The campaign also includes a "Do the Check" list that suggests certain products should be kept on hand. Who wants to drive to the store during an attack of serious acid indigestion? That list includes products in these categories: pain relief, nighttime products, allergy and sinus, cold and flu, antacids, antidiarrheal and first aid items," according to Marisa A. Lewis, pharmacist and assistant professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Florida A&M University, one of the campaign's leaders.
Kametz has his own list of must-have-on-hand items, starting with a cough suppressant. Pepcid is his favorite antacid, because it doesn't have interactions and lasts longer. Others, like Tagemet, are effective but require more care because of possible drug interactions. Even Tums and Rolaids have potential interactions, he said, so consumers need to ask a lot of questions.
He believes bandages, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, an antibiotic ointment for cuts and scrapes and a muscle rub are all good items to keep onhand. People who have children should have a bottle of Ipecac syrup at home, "but never use it unless you call Poison Control first. There are times when (inducing vomiting) does two times the damage." And "everyone should take a multivitamin. We all eat on the run and grab what we can. If you take a vitamin every day, it's a foundation."
For pain relief, he likes Tylenol or Motrin because they're "safer" than aspirin. Aspirin can be dangerous for children under 12, and there are also possible drug interactions, especially with blood-thinners. But he reminds his customers that Tylenol in high doses over the long term can hurt the liver and ibuprofen over time is bad for the kidneys. That means it's not the medicine of choice for people with diabetes since they are prone to kidney problems.
Many people keep sleep aids on hand. Most of them contain diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. But herbals are becoming more popular, including kava kava and valerian, Kametz said.
Bandages, sterile gauze pads, rubbing alcohol, adhesive bandages, cotton balls, tweezers and cotton swabs are also good things to have on hand.
Perhaps the most important thing is talking to your pharmacist, Kametz said. "It's important to talk about compliance issues and side effects. And we're a good source for free advice."
A "Do the Check" checklist is available at area pharmacies or online at ( www.dothecheck.com).
E-MAIL: lois@desnews.com