Things you must know how to use medication safely in Australia

[ads id='ads1']

Healthcare systems in countries support and promote safe manufacturing, storing, and monitoring of medicines. Still, when the sick individual who is expected to consume medicine does not take medicine properly, then the medicine becomes poisonous. Instead of pain alleviation, it can bring harmful side effects when medication is not taken properly. So, you must be informed about medicines, be alert to your own medical needs and risks, and know the correct way to use medication safely. Thus, to help you use medication safely in Australia, we have come up with this blog.

6 Things you must know when using medication safely in Australia

As per the Department of Health and Aged Care, it is important to know the precise way to use medication safely in Australia. Let's look into the points.

Know your medicine well

It's critical that you comprehend the medication you are taking in order to ensure that it is appropriate for your situation. Knowing how to use a medication, reading the active components on the label, and knowing the right questions to ask your doctor is important.

If your situation is delicate, such as if you are expecting or nursing a child, or you have a serious illness that is not contagious, then you must be extremely aware of the medication.

Be Compliant with the medicine-consuming pattern.

Any medication should only be taken for medical purposes; if it is not used to treat a medical problem, it may act like a drug and cause addiction. To prevent addiction or an overdose, always make sure to take the right medicine at the right time.

If you take your medications insufficiently or excessively, your body will suffer since you continue to follow an unhealthy pattern of medication consumption. In addition, one must notify a recognized authority if they encounter problems with a medication or if they consume a fake or defective medication.

Keep track of your medicines

When taking multiple medicines, you must keep a medicine list or checkbox that helps you keep track of when and how to take your medicines. Such listing and checking can get you to avoid doubling up on medicines, avoid negative interactions between medicines, and complete your medication consumption routine. This kind of check on your medicines can help your health practitioners get precise information about your medicine consumption. 

Healthy consumption of antibiotics

It’s important to use antibiotics when necessary and also reduce their haphazard use. Antibiotics are typically given to protect against viral illnesses, such as the flu and the common cold, but taking them every time for minor issues is terrible for the body. Studies have revealed that the more antibiotics we use, the less bacteria-resistant our bodies become. And when our body develops low levels of bacteria resistance, it poses a serious threat to human health. So, always make sure you're taking the right kind and quantity of antibiotics in the right amount.

Proper and safe disposal of medicines

Proper disposal of medicinal waste is crucial to avoid pollution and save the lives of animals or even people. You should not throw medicine, expired ones, out in the bin or in the toilet; rather, get them safely disposed of so that you can avoid accidental poisoning, medication misuse, and toxic releases into the environment. If you want to be safe, you can return a medicine to a related pharmacy. This is another environmentally friendly and smart way to dispose of your medicine.

Taking your medicine properly with traveling

You must be aware of what medications you can bring with you if you are traveling with them. You can look into apps, online resources, or Australian government websites that give you detailed information about:

•  medicines to take and not to take outside of Australia as per international drug regulations

• managing your PBS medications in a foreign land
  

Read Also: Things to know about immunising your child in Australia

5 Safe Medication Tips to Follow in Australia

1. Follow instructions as given to you by your Primary Care Provider (PCP). If you have questions about the doses or how often to take your medication, ask the pharmacist or your PCP. 

2. Store your medicines safely and out of reach of children and pets.

3. Don’t ignore side effects, and if a problem occurs, contact your PCP immediately.

4. Do not share medications prescribed to you as they may bring serious side effects to the non-prescribed person.

5. Check the expiry date of the prescription.

Wrapping Up!

Using medication safely has become a concern among people and thus, you can take help from the above-mentioned activities and stay safe.

For further information, you can visit Safe Use of Medicine.

[ads id='ads2']