Medicine Safety

Over half of the calls to the Kansas Poison Control Center are about medicines. These include both prescription and over-the-counter varieties. Take a look at our most recent medicine and poisoning statistics in Kansas.

Medicines can help us live longer and healthier lives, but when taken in the wrong way, wrong amount or by the wrong person, they can be dangerous.

Sometimes children will get into a parent’s or grandparent’s medicine, but many calls involve an adult who has double-dosed or taken the wrong medicine entirely.

A common cause of medicine poisoning occurs from dosing errors:

• Taking too much
• Taking too often
• Taking the wrong medicine
• Administering medicine in the wrong way (such as ear drops being placed in the eyes)
• Drug interactions - can occur when medicine interacts with a certain food, herbal product, alcohol or another medicine
  • Taking some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines with prescription medicines can cause serious problems
  • Taking some medicines with certain foods can lessen or enhance the effect of the medicine

Some medicines - whether prescription, over the counter or illicit - may be misused or abused. Learn more here.

• Always read and follow the medicine label to make sure you are giving the right medicine, in the right amount, at the right time.
• Only use prescription medicines as directed by a health professional.
• Ask the doctor or pharmacist about any food or drinks that might react with the medicine.
• Do not share or take someone else’s medicine, even if you have the same symptoms.
• Store all medicines in a secure location, such as lock-boxes, medicine safes or other lockable spaces. Avoid storage places such as drawers, nightstands or kitchen cabinets that children and others can easily access.
• Safely dispose of all expired and unused medicines. See additional information on our safe medicine disposal page.