Subject

Information in the campaign folder

Acquisition of drugs

- Patients should avoid self-medication and buying medicines because they worked well for someone they know;

- The drug availability in government pharmacies should be observed before acquisition;

- Medicines should be purchased considering the real need of the patients, avoiding unnecessary household stock which will lead to disposal;

- When purchasing a medication, the patients should always observe for the presence of the pharmacist at the drugstore.

Administration of drugs

- The administration of drugs should always be performed with monitoring by a healthcare professional;

- Patients should respect the prescribed doses and not interrupt the treatment;

- Before use, the medication should be evaluated regarding the expiration date and package conditions;

- The patients should always mention to the healthcare professionals all the medications that they are using.

Storage of drugs

- Medications should be stored in their original package with the patient information sheet/leaflet;

- The place for storage should be without sunlight, heat and humidity, far away from food and cleaning products and inaccessible to kids and pets.

Disposal of drugs

- Expired drugs shouldn’t be thrown into sinks, toilets and common waste;

- The incorrect disposal of medicines can cause water and soil contamination, besides causing risks to the population and animals;

- Expired medicines should be taken to specialized collection points where they will be forwarded to the correct disposal.