Doctor Column

Drug Disposal: How to Get Rid of Expired or Unused Medications September 15, 2022 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Unused or expired medications pose a health risk to you and your family. Safe disposal of unneeded medications lessens the likelihood of unintended poisonings. One option is to find a drug-take back location and deposit the medicines at that location which might be a hospital, pharmacy or police station. If drug-take back programs are not available, you can get rid of medicines at home by properly placing them in your trash or by flushing them down the toilet or sink. Drug Expiration Controversy: “Is it Safe to Take Expired Medications?” September 5, 2022 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Melissa, a three year old, has a history or recurrent ear infections. It’s the weekend, it’s one o’clock in the morning and Melissa is irritable, tugging at her right ear and has a slight temperature. This has been the prelude to a spike of 103 F temperature, crying and piercing screams due to her painful ear infections. Her mother has left over liquid antibiotic medication that the child’s pediatrician prescribed six weeks ago for her ear infections. Her mother thinks it over, “Should I give the baby the antibiotic. Is it safe to do so?” ‘Beware’ of Drug Reactions and Interactions October 25, 2019 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD With every new drug on the market, there’s one more chance that you’ll suffer an unwanted reaction that ranges from mild to severe. However, such reactions are not limited to drugs. Food, herbs and supplements can be as dangerous as drugs. China’s New Weapon — Medications: Are They Safe? Will They Be Available? China’s Tightening Grip on Big Pharma August 25, 2018 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD What happens if the drug you depend on for dialysis, epilepsy, hypertension or type1 diabetes suddenly becomes unavailable? What happens if the drug you thought was safe turns out to kill you? Script Shock Staggering Cost of Prescription Drugs October 25, 2017 Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Peggy is a 69 y/o lady who complained of an upset stomach and diarrhea. At first, she blamed it on what she ate the previous day. However, the diarrhea persisted, became more frequent and more explosive.