• Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else
• Take your unused medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal
• Never dispose of your unused or unwanted medicines down the toilet

Unused prescription medicines cost the NHS across the UK millions of pounds every year. You can reduce the cost of wasted medicines by only odering what you need.

• Let your GP or pharmacist know if you’ve stopped taking any of your medicines
• Check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering
• Discuss your medication with your GP or pharmacist on a regular basis
• Think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription forms and only tick those you really need
• If you don’t need the medicine don’t order it! If you need the medicine in the future you can still request it
• If you need to go into hospital, remember to take all your medicines with you in a clearly marked bag
• Remember that your medicines are prescribed only for you; it’s not safe to share them with anyone else

Unused medicines are a safety risk.

• Return out of date medicines to your pharmacy or dispensary for safe disposal
• If your medicines change return your old medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal to avoid mixing them up with your new medicines
• Don't stockpile medication, it is a safety risk for children and others who might take them
• Store medicines in an appropriate place out of reach of children