Many people keep medicines in the bathroom or next to the cooker, which are among the worst places because of heat and humidity. Poor storage can make a medicine less effective long before its expiry date.
The basics
- A dry place out of the sun, at room temperature (below 25 °C) unless the leaflet says otherwise.
- Keep each medicine in its original pack with its leaflet.
- Fridge medicines go on a middle shelf, not in the door and never in the freezer.
- Out of children’s reach, ideally in a closed box.
When to throw a medicine away
When it has expired, changed colour or smell, when tablets have clumped together, or when eye drops or syrup have been open longer than the leaflet allows. Don’t pour medicines down the sink. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of them safely.
