What should I do with leftover medicines when the treatment changes?
When the doctor changes or stops a medicine, the boxes left at home can cause confusion: here is what to do with them so they do not get mixed up with the new regimen.
In short
- Set aside the medicines that are no longer taken on the day of the change, so they do not get mixed up with the new ones.
- Before throwing anything away, ask the pharmacist whether any box still works with the new regimen.
- Anything that will not be used goes to the pharmacy SIGRE point, in its box with the leaflet, never in the bin or down the drain.
- Returned medicines cannot be dispensed again or donated: they are destroyed.
The first step is to separate them from the rest of the medication that same day. Then ask the pharmacist whether any box is still useful with the new regimen and take the rest to the pharmacy SIGRE point, in the box with the leaflet. Keeping them "just in case" seems sensible, but in a home with many medicines it is one of the easiest ways to make a mistake.
Here we explain why, what to do in each situation and how to dispose of them properly.
| What will you find in this article? |
Why is it best not to keep leftover medicines?
Because the old boxes may end up being taken by mistake alongside the new ones. An older person, or a carer who was not there when the regimen changed, can easily pick up the usual box. The risk is higher when the brand or the dose changes: two boxes that look different may contain the same active ingredient, and both may end up being taken.
SIGRE, the Spanish pharmacy collection system for medicines, puts it simply: leftover doses from treatments prescribed by the doctor should not be stored in the medicine cabinet. The Ministry of Health guide on the 5 key moments includes "before finishing a treatment" as one of the moments to ask a professional what to do.
What should I do in each situation?
It depends on the kind of change. The general rule is not to throw anything away without asking whether it is still useful, and not to keep anything that is no longer part of the current treatment.
| Situation | What to do with the leftovers |
|---|---|
| The doctor stops a medicine | Set it aside the same day and take it to the SIGRE point |
| The dose of the same medicine changes | Ask the pharmacist whether the old boxes work with the new regimen; if not, to the SIGRE point |
| The brand changes but the active ingredient is the same | Do not take both at once; ask the pharmacist which to use and what to do with the other |
| A short course ends, such as an antibiotic | Take the leftover doses to the SIGRE point; do not keep them for next time |
| The person moves into a care home or dies | Take all the medication to the SIGRE point, unless the staff at the new home say otherwise |
Treatment changes are very common after a hospital stay. If that is your situation, read our guide on hospital discharge with new medication.
Can they be returned to the pharmacy for reuse or donated?
No. The law prohibits dispensing, selling or marketing any medicine that has been returned or handed in to the pharmacy by members of the public, under article 3.7 of Royal Legislative Decree 1/2015. SIGRE explains that all the medicine waste it collects is destroyed and is not donated or reused, for safety reasons.
Nor is it a good idea to give them to a relative or neighbour: a prescription medicine has been prescribed for a specific person, with their diagnosis, their dose and their other treatments.
How do you dispose of them properly?
By taking them to the SIGRE point at any pharmacy. According to SIGRE, more than 22,100 pharmacies take part in this system. Medicines should not go in the bin or down the drain because they can contaminate soil and water, as the Spanish General Council of Pharmacists points out.
You can deposit:
- Expired medicines or those no longer needed, in their box with the leaflet.
- Empty packaging or packaging with remains: blister packs, tubes, bottles.
- Medicines for pets.
Do not deposit: needles, thermometers, X rays, gauze, batteries, gloves or chemicals. Ask at the pharmacy or your local council where to take them.
Take the opportunity to check the medicine cabinet at home every 6 to 12 months and remove anything expired or no longer used, as SIGRE and the General Council of Pharmacists recommend.
A practical example: Julián and the boxes of his old medicine
Let us take the case of Julián, aged 80, who takes 9 medicines. His doctor stops a diuretic and changes the dose of his blood pressure medicine. The cupboard still holds two boxes of the diuretic and three of the blood pressure medicine at the old dose.
- The same day, his daughter puts the affected boxes in a separate bag with a note: "Do not take, change of 15 October".
- She updates the medication list and leaves it next to the pill organiser.
- At the pharmacy she asks whether the boxes at the old dose can be used with the new regimen. The pharmacist explains what to do.
- She takes whatever is no longer useful to the SIGRE point, with the boxes and leaflets.
- She tells her siblings and the carer about the change.
If Julián sees several specialists, our guide on organising medication with several doctors will also help.
How can IMA Health help you?
At IMA Health we coordinate with a specialised pharmacy so the medication is prepared by day and time of each dose, we deliver it to the home and we provide personalised follow-up. When the doctor changes the treatment, the pharmacy prepares the next doses with the current regimen, which reduces the risk of old pills getting mixed up with new ones.
Sources
- SIGRE: information for the public on SIGRE collection points (in Spanish)
- Spanish General Council of Pharmacists: why medicines should be recycled at the pharmacy SIGRE point (in Spanish)
- BOE: Royal Legislative Decree 1/2015, consolidated Law on guarantees and rational use of medicines (article 3, in Spanish)
- Spanish Ministry of Health: 5 key moments for the safe use of medicines. Guide for healthcare professionals (March 2022, in Spanish)
This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.