Clear Out & Stock Up Your Medicine Cabinet
New consumer research reveals that nearly one in ten Brits never clear out their medicine cabinets.
Panadol Advance is calling for the nation to clear out the clutter this January and get rid of any out of date products in their medicine cabinets that could be less effective with no guarantee that they are still safe.
The new research reveals many of us are harbouring bad habits when it comes to storing and using our medicines, which could mean we don’t get the best from our medicines when it matters the most:
Our storage sins...
Just over one in five of us only clear out our medicine cabinets once every five years or less (21%)1; with nearly one in ten saying we never clear out our shelves (9%)
One in five admit to using medicines that are past their use-by date (20%)1, with three quarters of these taking medicines up to two years past their use-by-date (75%)
Nearly one in six of us don’t bother to look at the use-by date at all (15%)
Our mis-use misdemeanours
One in five of us admit to keeping prescription medications and re-using them for different, later complaints (20%)
Please note: prescription medications should only be taken for the condition and by the person for whom it was first prescribed.
Almost one in six us of say we drink liquid medications straight from the bottle (14%)1
Headache specialist and former full-time GP, Dr Andrew Dowson said:
“While it may be tempting to remain faithful to the same bottle of medicine or packet of pills you’ve had for years, it’s worth remembering that they may not help you feel any better.
"Once past their use-by-date, medications can lose their efficacy and there is no guarantee that they are still safe.
“With the weather becoming increasingly cold and damp, the number of respiratory illnesses doing the rounds increases significantly.
"It’s important to ensure you are fully prepared and have appropriate medications for the season to hand, such as paracetamol, throat lozenges and cough medicine. My advice is plan ahead, get prepared and always check the label.”
Regularly check the expiry dates on all of your medicines and if they are past their use-by date, don't use them. Instead, take them to your pharmacy where they can be disposed of safely.
Also remember that prescribed medications should not be taken for anything other than the problem for which they were first prescribed for.
Tagged in Health