Drugs
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General Use of Medicine
This page includes information and educational resources (brochures, articles, and more) about the general use of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Some of these materials are available in both English and Spanish.
For additional educational materials on this topic, visit Educational Resources: Ensuring Safe Use of Medicine.
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Educational Resources
- Avoid Food-Drug Interactions (booklet) (PDF - 1.1MB)
Information on interactions between some common prescription and over-the-counter medicines with food, caffeine, and alcohol. - Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team (pamphlet)
How to become an active member of your health care team and to work with your teammates to make medicine use SAFER. Includes a question guide to help you gather information about your medicines. - Sea un miembro activo de su equipo de atención médica (pamphlet)
Spanish version of the above pamphlet. Check Your Medicines - Tips for Using Medicines Safely
Five simple checks to help make medicine use safer.My Medicine Record
Keep track of your prescription and OTC medicines, and dietary supplements.- Drug Interactions: What You Should Know (brochure)
Discusses the precautions that need to be used when taking more than one over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Includes a chart listing several OTC drugs and common interactions. - Interacciones de Medicamentos: Lo Que Usted Debe Saber (brochure)
Spanish version of the above brochure. - Protect Yourself Against Tampering (brochure)
Six easy tips to recognize and protect yourself and your family against over-the-counter medical product tampering. - Think It Through: A Guide to Managing the Benefits and Risks of Medicines (brochure)
Discusses benefits and risks and how to make a benefit/risk decision about a medicine. Provides ways to lower the risks and get the full benefits of medicines. - Piénselo Muy Bien: Una Guía Para el Control de los Beneficios y Riesgos de las Medicinas (brochure)
Spanish version of the above brochure. - Tips for Talking with Your Pharmacist to Learn How to Use Medicines Safely (brochure)
Tips to help you in the pharmacy -- what to tell and ask your pharmacist, and what to do after you get the medicine from your pharmacist.
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Additional Information
Don't take this with that!
Feature article - Grapefruit causes problems when taken with certain medications6 Tips to Avoid Medication Mistakes
FDA Consumer Update articleMyBloodThinner.org 
Information to help patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals use oral anticoagulants (medicine used to thin the blood) more safely.
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