Precautions to be taken while taking Medicines

Precautions for Safe Use of Drugs

• Always take medicines as per advice and prescribed by Doctor.
• Always purchase medicines from license seller.
• Always check the Expiry date before purchasing a medicine.
• Always ask for bill on purchase of medicine .
• Always keep the medicines away from sun light and heat.
• Always store the medicines as mentioned on the label for e.g. cool place or refrigerator as required.
• Always keep medicines out of reach of children.
• Beware of false of misleading advertisement.
• Do not use medicines internally when labeled for “External use only”.
• Always remove the labels of used medicine and cosmetics before throwing away ,so as to prevent misuse for spurious medicines and cosmetics.
• Do not purchase cosmetics from Hawkers .
• Do not purchase medicines /drugs stamped as For Hospital Use/ For ESIS Hospital.

To stay safe, always tell your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider about the products you are taking, including:

-- Herbal remedies,
-- Non-prescription medicines, and
-- Prescription drugs.

• "blood-thinning" drugs
• Or suffering from cancer ,HIV or life threatening conditions.
• Bring either a list or the products with you to your doctor's appointment.
• If you are taking a prescription medication, do not take an herbal remedy or dietary supplement for the same condition without telling your doctor.
• Only take the recommended quantity listed on the label.

To make sure you use medicines safely and effectively

• Keep a list of all medications that you take (prescribed drugs, non prescription medicines, ayurvedic homeopathic drugs, etc.) and medicines that you cannot take due to allergic reactions, and share those with your doctor.
• Tell your health care provider how you actually take your medication, especially if this is different from the originally prescribed directions.
• Learn the names of the drug products that are prescribed and given to you, as well as their dosage strength and schedules.
• Ask if you should avoid certain foods, beverages, other medicines, or activities while you are taking the drug.
• Ask for any written information available on the drug product.

Beware while taking Over the Counter medicines or non prescription medicines

• All medications, even those sold without a prescription, have the potential to cause harm.
• Taking more than the recommended dose can cause serious adverse effects, such as stomach bleeding, as well as liver or kidney problems.
• Adverse reactions due to non prescription medicines can sometimes occur even when patients follow instructions exactly.
• The use of non prescription drugs might interfere with the effect of certain prescription medications .
• Patients should tell their physician and pharmacist about all the medications, including vitamins and herbal supplements, they are taking to help avoid potentially dangerous drug interactions.
• "Natural" or drugs from Herbal source does not necessarily mean "safe."

Do not Split pills/ tablets for saving money.

• Consumers, often split pills to save money, but doing so can disrupt essential properties of the medications.
• The time-release property of certain medications may be destroyed when a pill is cut, reducing the medication’s safety.
• The pills are made with a protective coating to mask the bitterness and prevent nausea, if the tablet is split an upset in stomach may result if the coating is broken.

Always ask your doctor whether it is safe to split the pill. 

Safe use of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs

• Always purchase Narcotic and Psychotropic drugs on prescription of registered medical practitioner.
• Always take the dose as directed by the physician.
• Do not take excess dose.
• Keep the narcotic drugs away from children.