NEWS RELEASE
PORCUPINE HEALTH UNIT
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The Porcupine Health Unit is reminding the members of the public to clean out their medicine cabinets by picking up a medication clean-out bag from their pharmacy.
The medication clean-out bags have been delivered to local pharmacies by the Cochrane District Stay On Your Feet Coalition.
Cleaning out unused, unwanted, and expired medications and dropping them off at the pharmacy helps prevent people from mixing up old and new medications.
It also reduces accidental poisonings, abuse, and misuse while protecting the environment.
Stephanie Gravel, a public health nurse from the Porcupine Health Unit states that medication safety is particularly important in older adults.
She says that the elderly are more susceptible to adverse drug reactions due to the fact that they are taking multiple medications to manage chronic conditions.
Vitamins, herbal remedies, alcohol and food can also affect how medications work, which could ultimately lead to impaired balance and falls.
“Remember, all medications have side effects, talk to your health care provider if you are feeling drowsy, dizzy, light headed, have blurred vision or have difficulty thinking clearly,” says Gravel.
Side effects vary from person to person and can change when different medications, including prescription, over-the-counter or herbal medications, are combined.
Gravel emphasizes that everyone should tell their health care providers and pharmacists about all the medications being taken and to review them every 6- 12 months.
This means you should be cleaning your medicine cabinet at least every year.
“The medication clean-out bags can be filled with any old, expired, unwanted, or leftover medications and dropped off at your local pharmacy for safe disposal,” states Gravel.
The Porcupine Health Unit is located in Northeastern Ontario, serving the entire Cochrane District and Hornepayne, in Algoma District.
The main office is located in Timmins, Ontario, with branch offices in Cochrane, Hearst, Hornepayne, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Matheson, Moosonee and Smooth Rock Falls.
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