Poison Prevention Week Council Encourages Safe Medication Use

March 21, 2012 4:00 pm Topics: Education, Prescription label, Medication errors, and Drug poisoning

As part of the 50^th National Poison Prevention Week, the Poison Prevention Week Council encourages consumers to use medications safely, and the campaign includes the following tips for consumers:
 

• Follow the directions on the label when you give or take medicines. Read all warning labels.
• Never share prescription medicines. Take only the drugs that are prescribed for you.
• Give infants and children only medicines that are safe for their age and weight. The label will tell you what the correct dose is.
• Put your medicines up and away and out of sight every time they are used.
• Pill boxes/containers can ease an adult’s access to medicine, and a child’s access as well. Keep medicines and household cleaners in their original, child-resistant packaging.
• Never call medicine “candy” and avoid taking medicine in front of young children.
   

The National Poison Prevention Week is being observed March 18 through March 24, 2012, and additional information and poison prevention educational resources are available on the Poison Prevention Web site.