Hesperian Health Guides
How to Use Medicine Safely
Any time you use a medicine, follow these guidelines:
- Be sure it is necessary.
- Get good instructions about how take it, including:
- how much to take (the dose).
- how often to take it each day and for how many days.
- Take the full amount, for the right number of days. If you stop taking the medicine too soon, the problem may come back.
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| Keep all medicines where you are sure children cannot reach them. They can be deadly to a child. |
- Know the side effects or problems the medicine can cause (see the âMedicines Pagesâ).
- Know if you should take the medicine with food or on an empty stomach, and if it reacts badly with any foods.
- Be careful when taking many medicines at the same time. Some medicines and supplements do not work well when taken together. Tell your health worker about everything you already take before they add a new medicine.
- Look carefully at combination medicines (2 or more medicines in 1 tablet or liquid). Medicines for some illnesses, such as HIV and malaria, often come as combination medicines because they are easier to take and important to take together. However, other combination medicines may contain medicines you do not need, and can cause you to have more side effects. They may also cost more than buying medicines separately.
- Check for a label. If there is no label, ask to see the medicineâs container. Copy the name, dose, and expiration date.
This page was updated:13 Nov 2023