January 16, 2010Monica Robinson Green, PharmD,

BCPS

“Brand drugs are more effective than generic drugs”

Generic drugs are required by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form and route of administration

Generic drugs do not require the same inactive ingredients as the brand product

A Generic drug performs the same in the body as its respective brand (reference) product

Generic drugs cost less (but are not inferior) because the manufacturers do not engage in costly advertising, marketing, or research and development

Brand drug manufacturers make approximately 50% of the generic drugs themselves

“Non-prescription /Over -the-counter (OTC) medications are safer than prescription medications”

All Medications, even those sold without a prescription, have the potential to cause harm

Taking more than the recommended dose may cause adverse effects such as stomach bleeding, as well as liver or kidney problems

Effects of certain prescription medications can be increased or decreased by non-prescription medications

Patients should tell their physician and pharmacist about ALL medications

“Herbals are safe because they are natural”

Herbal supplements can be dangerous because they are not regulated as drugs by the FDA

No studies are required to show the safety and effectiveness of Herbal supplements

Studies have shown that active ingredients within the same type of supplement can vary by up to 150%

Some herbal supplements interact negatively with prescription and non-prescription medications

“Splitting pills is always a safe way to save money”

Some pills are made with a protective covering to prevent nausea/upset stomach but if broken may cause that particular adverse effect

Splitting pills (that are not scored) can disrupt essential properties of the medication

Ask your pharmacist if a pill is safe to split

Scored tablet

“Children can take adult medications in smaller doses”

In some cases children may require smaller or larger doses of medications than adults

Antihistamines usually cause drowsiness in adults but may cause hyperactivity in children

Children with fever causing illness should not take Aspirin due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome which is potentially life-threatening

Always ask the doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the correct dose of a medication for children

“The bathroom medication cabinet is a good place to store medications”

Medications should never be stored in the bathroom because of the negative effects of excessive heat and humidity

Children can easily access medications in a bathroom cabinet leading to accidental poisoning

Medications should be stored in a secure, dark location with little humidity

“Medications can be taken safely with any liquid”

Certain liquids may enhance or diminish the effect of a medication

Grapefruit juice completely inactivates some medications for high blood pressure and high cholesterol

Always check with the pharmacists to determine what liquids are safe to take with your medicines

“Expired medications are safe to use”

Expired medication may not only be ineffective, but also harmful to one’s health

Chemicals within expired medication are often altered by various exposures (heat, humidity)

Expired medications do not only include pills, but also creams, ointments and inhalers (prescription and non-prescription)

“Unused/left-over antibiotics can be used to treat any infection”

Antibiotics (used in bacterial infections) should not be used for viral infections such as the common cold or flu

Partial and incomplete treatment of infections with antibiotics may lead to difficulty in treating common infections in the future

Take entire prescribed regimen even if you feel better before finishing them

Throw away unused antibiotics and do not keep for future use

“It is safe to use a family member’s medications”

Do not share your medication; Medications are prescribed to specific individuals for their conditions

Some medication doses are based on weight , age of the patient, and potential drug interactions with other medications being taken

Using another person’s medications may lead to under- or over-dosing, interactions with other drugs and/or avoidable side effects

Doctors rarely know what medication your particular insurance plan may cover at a lower cost

Insurance plans may not cover the same drugs in 2010 that they covered in 2009

Cash prices vary from one retail pharmacy to another $4/$5 generic prescription drugs are available at many

retail pharmacies

A 90-day supply may save you money

Refrain from using multiple pharmacies (Polypharmacy)

How should I take this medication?

What side effects should I expect from this medication?

Will this medication interfere with any of my current medications?

When will I see/notice the effect/benefit of this medication?

Food and Drug AdministrationAmerican Society of Health-System

PharmacistsNational Center for Complimentary

and Alternative Medicine

Note: Right click and select “open hyperlink” to access the above web references.