According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in four adults share their prescription medication drugs. When you use someone else’s prescribed drug, not only is it technically illegal, you could say it is the equivalent of taking poison. Paul James, MD, director of the UI Family Care Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about the dangers of sharing prescription medications:
Why is the practice of sharing prescription medications becoming so popular?
It’s because medications are very expensive. I think we all are conscious of how much it costs to live today, and many people are seeking ways to lower the costs. I also think there may be some sense of knowledge about medications offered by television and Web sites and through direct consumer advertising that allows patients to think they have more knowledge about certain medications than they actually have.
When a physician prescribes a medication, it usually comes with directions to take all the medication even when I no longer have symptoms. What types of prescriptions are most commonly shared?
First of all, your comment about medications you should take even after symptoms are gone—usually those are things like antibiotics and are prescribed for a certain length of time to ensure that the infection is eradicated. Many people may not take the medication for the complete course and therefore put themselves at risk of getting a new infection.
When people have medications left over, they feel they can share them with other people. That puts those other people at increased risk of having health problems or an inadequately treated infection.
I’d say the most common kind of prescription shared is pain medicines. Pain medicines often times have risks to them—side effects—such as nausea and vomiting or allergic reactions. That puts them at increased risk of causing harm to people. Inhalers may be another drug that people share and I think there are problems with that as well because many inhalers are different and have different mechanisms of action.
I do think that patients need to follow their doctors’ prescriptions.
What are the risks someone takes when taking medication prescribed to a family member or friend?
The risks are, first of all, that they may be taking the wrong medicine, one that’s not really indicated for their health problem. When a physician prescribes a medication, it is only after a physical exam, taking a history, and doing an assessment to get a diagnosis. Obviously, if you have not seen a health care professional, you don’t know the medication is intended for your health problem. Because of that, you’re putting yourself at increased risk of side effects from the medications, from unintended consequences for the medications, and for allergic reactions. Many medications sound alike and have far different effects. For example, there’s a blood pressure medicine called clonidine and there’s an anxiety medicine called Clonopin. Those medicines’ names sound very much alike, but if you took clonidine hoping it was going to help you for anxiety, it could cause you to faint and lose consciousness because it lowered your blood pressure too much when you didn’t have that health problem.
Do prescription medications expire?
They do. An expiration date is required for medications and there are certain medicines that it is vitally important that you look at the expiration date and adhere to it. Those are medicines such as nitroglycerin, insulin, tetracycline, liquid antibiotics, and any capsule that has oils in it.
Other prescription medicines probably last longer than their shelf life, but if someone has medications in their cabinet beyond their shelf life, they probably did not take that medicine as the doctor prescribed.
Is there a separate or different set of risks if someone takes an expired medication?
Only that the medicine may not be as effective as it was before the expiration date passed. I mentioned earlier those medications I think are at risk of causing problems. But other medicines, like solid tablets, likely still have some degree of effectiveness. I would not take any of these medicines beyond their expiration date if you’re taking it for a life-threatening condition.
What should people do with their unused or expired medications?
According to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, you should:
- Follow specific disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information literature. Do Not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless this information instructs you to do so.
- If no instructions are given, throw the drugs in the household trash. Take the drugs out of their containers and mix them with undesirable substances like coffee grounds or kitty litter. The drugs will be less appealing and unrecognizable to pets or children. Put them in a sealable bags, empty can or container to prevent the medication from leaking.
Johnson County used and expired medical disposal guidelines include:
- Do not flush unused medications unless specifically instructed to do so
- When tossing unused medications, protect children and pets from the potential negative effects
- Look for local hazardous waster facilities or programs
- Talk with your pharmacist for additional disposal information.
For complete instructions, please review:
- Consumer health guidelines (LINK TO PDF) from the Food and Drug Administration
- Drug disposal options in Johnson County (LINK TO WORD DOC)
Is there a time when it would be okay to share a prescription medication with someone else?
I think if you have a question, you should raise it with your doctor or with your pharmacist. They would be able to guide you as to whether it would be appropriate to share your prescription medication.
The only other consideration might be if you take a medication that may be able to save someone’s life, such as nitroglycerine or an inhaler for asthma and one is not available. It may be appropriate, given the circumstances, if you could help someone save their life. But almost always, I think, the best approach would be to contact your physician or your pharmacist.
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