Informal DOH survey finds many people store medicine incorrectly

2011/08/24 Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) An informal poll conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) has found that 40 percent of respondents did not store medicine properly or did not know how to properly dispose of unused drugs. The survey found that some respondents stored their medication in kitchens, bathrooms or bedrooms instead of cool and dry places as the DOH suggests, said Tsai Hsueh-yung, a section chief responsible for drug safety assessment under the DOG's Food and Drug Administration, on Wednesday. Tai said the most important principle in storing medicine is to keep it in a dark, dry drawer or cabinet away from heat, light and moisture. If medicine is exposed to humidity or heat -- the norm for bathrooms and kitchens -- it may lose its curative effect or even do more harm than good, Tai said. Getting rid of unused drugs and pills was another area in which people lacked basic knowledge, the survey found. Tai said that for most medications, burning them in an incinerator was the best option, but special drugs, including those prescribed to cancer patients, require more careful handling and should be returned to the hospital or clinic for proper disposal. Tai said it was important not to flush them down toilets or sinks because the drugs will dissolve and contaminate the water. The survey was conducted informally by the DOH in two stages and did not have a margin of error. The DOH said its purpose was simply to provide a rough idea of how people store and dispose of medicine in Taiwan.