Over-The-Counter (OTC) medicines play an important role in keeping us healthy and treating certain symptoms and conditions when we are ill. But they must be stored safely, and unused portions of these medicines must be disposed of properly to avoid potential drug abuse of OTC medicines, prevent accidental poisonings of children and pets, and to protect the environment. In this section, learn how to find an expiration date on a medicine label, whether it is safe to take an OTC medicine after its expiration date, and how to discard OTC medicine safely. You can also learn more about the America's Poison Centers as well as the national Up and Away Campaign aimed at preventing childhood poisonings through safe storage and disposal of all medicines. A reminder is also provided regarding easy-to-open "arthritis caps" found on some medicines, which can lead to accidental child poisonings.
