Clean out the wrong medicine

PARAMEDICS are urging residents to spring-clean their medicine cupboard, a job they say could help save lives.
Ambulance Victoria paramedic team manager Alicia Doreian said people should consider throwing away out-of-date medications and dispose of them safely.
“Out-of-date medications are often not effective and present an unnecessary risk of accidental overdose if they are left lying around the house,” she said.
“The recommended way to dispose of out-of-date and unused medications is to return them to the local pharmacy. This way people, their family and the environment all remain safe and out of danger.”
Ms Doreian said it was also important to clearly label poisons and store them in a separate cupboard.
She said it was timely to stock first-aid kits, saying one should at least contain triangular bandages, gloves, scissors, sterile wound dressings, Band-Aids, resuscitation mask, paracetamol, crepe bandages, sterile saline, water, safety pins, first-aid book, sterile wipes and adhesive tape.