7 ways to store medicine safely

When you reach for the medicine bottle, you want to be sure the contents are potent and fresh — even if the expiration date on the bottle has passed.

• To make your prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines last longer and retain potency, store them in a dry area where they will stay at a steady room temperature.
• Avoid the bathroom — including the medicine cabinet — and any areas near the stove in the kitchen, where temperatures and humidity are likely to fluctuate.
• Remember to keep all medicine out of reach of children. Store all medicine in a locked cabinet or other secure location.
• Never leave it on the counter or rely on childproof packaging!

• When purchasing OTC medications, make sure that you look for the products by their generic names.
• There is no advantage to buying a brand name.
• Store brands contain the exact same amount of active drug and work just as well — often at a fraction of the cost. And always look for products with the longest expiration date.

• Although some people think leaving the cotton plug in the bottle will help keep aspirins or other OTC drugs or vitamins fresh longer, this is not so.
• It's a good idea to remove the cotton plug from the bottle for storage to reduce the chance of moisture getting inside.
• You can store aspirin in a metal pill box, if you want. Aspirin won't interact with metal.
• Aspirin will also not be negatively affected by freezing, light, or high altitudes.

• Perhaps like lots of folks, you use a pill cutter at home to slice your pills in half to achieve the prescribed dose of medication.
• And while it's more convenient to cut a lot of pills all at once rather than bringing out the pill cutter for every dose, this is not a great idea.
• Cutting the pills causes the medicine in them to break down faster.
• Pharmacists recommend that you don't cut more than five days' worth of pills at a time.
• In general, it doesn't matter whether the pills are cut precisely in half, as long as the cumulative dose is the same over time.
• However, some medications may require more exact dosage, so it is best to ask your pharmacist or the prescribing doctor whether cutting the pills is advisable with your particular prescription.

• Do not use acetaminophen or products containing acetaminophen beyond their expiration date even if the bottles have been stored properly.
• Acetaminophen deteriorates more readily than aspirin and other analgesics like ibuprofen and naproxen.
• When acetaminophen breaks down, it can cause serious harm to the kidneys.

• Most prescription drugs gradually lose potency over time, but if they are properly stored in a dry and cool location, they may be safely used for weeks and even a few months after the expiration date on the package.
• The same is true of most over-the-counter products (with the notable exception of acetaminophen, see above).

• If you have a bottle of aspirin that is past its expiration date, use your nose to tell if the contents are still okay for use.
• Aspirin and aspirin-based products will take on a vinegar-like smell when they deteriorate.
• So sniff any "expired" bottles before using them, and if they smell vinegary, toss them out.
• If they still smell fine, chances are the contents will be only slightly less potent, if at all.