Households need to be aware of poisoning hazards
Many Canadian internet pharmacies sell over the counter medications at a fraction of what they cost in the U.S.
Many Canadian internet pharmacies sell over the counter medications at a fraction of what they cost in the U.S. These products can include insulin, smoking cessation aides, cold/flu remedies, analgesics and others. All households that store medication, particularly homes with children, need to remember to take the proper precautions to prevent accidental drug overdoses. New research suggests that a significant number of homes do not store the pain reliever acetaminophen safely.
There are nearly 2,000 Americans treated in the emergency room every day for accidental poisonings, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Children are twice as likely to be poisoned by medications as they are by household chemicals. Acetaminophen poisoning can cause liver damage, according to a team of scientists.
A pilot study from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital investigated the drug storage practices of 24 households that included children aged 2 to 4 years. About 30 percent of homes with acetaminophen, and 22 percent of participants who have other medicines, did not meet standards of safe storage, which include keeping drugs somewhere five feet off the ground or locked up when kept at a lower level.
Furthermore, all 24 homes contained at least one medication that was expired.
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