I’ve been a practising pharmacist for over 20 years in Florida. In that time, I’ve been asked countless times if it was “ok” to take someone else’s pills or about how to go about “donating” unused meds to the needy. While these would seem to be common sense things to avoid, you would be surprised at how prevalent these practices are in our society. So, let’s deal with these topics one at a time.

Is it “ok” to take someone else’s medications?

Most “lay ” (or street) pharmacists, those without a formal education in the field, or those who think that they know all about a specific medication because “Uncle Billy” had “the same problem” a few years back and it helped him, believe that they are really doing the right thing by helping someone out by sharing pills. The motives can be varied: financial – they can’t afford to buy the pills or save money by not going to the doctor, emotional – the great “feel-good” feeling knowing that YOU are the “savior” to your friend’s (or family’s) medical problem, or guilt – maybe you were in some way responsible for them being sick (serving week-old leftover meatloaf for dinner). In either case, taking matters in your own hands even with altruistic intentions can be a recipe for disaster. I know, I know… I can hear it now: “That won’t happen to ME because I’m careful”…well, how about this little fact: Medications prescribed to patients that need specific treatment cause unforseen errors and unwanted side-effects. Some patients get so sick that hospitalization is necessary for survival. It happens every day to TRAINED professionals with formal education and specialized knowledge. If you have done this action with no adverse consequence, count yourself lucky that no one was hurt. In short, taking your neighbor’s or your family member’s pills  can cause more harm than good. There are drug interactions, concurrent disease, side-effects, dosages and elimination factors that must be considered before ingesting pills. The best case scenario: nothing bad happens (whew), the worst case scenario: an untimely demise. And if causing potential harm isn’t justification enough to avoid this behavior, consider this: In all states, sharing pills is illegal…not that the “pill police” are going to raid your place and throw you in jail…but you may find yourself in a bind if it is discovered that you were the “supplier”.

How about “donating” those unused meds?

My favorite question to ask the donor: “How would you feel about receiving someone else’s unused medications?” Almost universally, the answer is a resounding “NO WAY”. Well, why do you think it’s ok for someone else to get your leftovers? We all know times are tough, but donating pills is not the way to go. As a professional, storage and integrity of the medication is paramount in quality. I’m sure we’ve all read about how medication can be tainted, diluted or adulterated in some way, and the results of those acts can be detrimental. It is NEVER a good idea to “donate” your medications. Please find a legal, safe way to dispose of unwanted medications if you no longer take a specific drug. Calling your local waste disposal authority will steer you in the right direction as far as disposal procedure. A quick story: One of my patients passed away a few years ago due to complications in treatment and disease progression. His widow called me up and wanted to know what to do with his medications. Being their pharmacist, and assuming that he had very little leftover drugs as he had moved into hospice 3 months prior to his departure, I told her to bring them in and I would help her out. She agreed. I saw her a few hours later wheeling in a shopping cart with three large boxes. Inside those boxes was unused medications that I filled for him, mail-order filled for him, and even drugs from Canadian pharmacies. He never even cracked the seal on some of his meds. The oldest bottle of pills I found was six years from the current time. My foremost thought at the time: “What a waste of money, time, and life-giving ability?” I felt overwhelmingly sad, both for his widow and for her situation. Luckily, she had the keenness of mind to dispose of them right away.

Well, that’s all there is here for now. Remember, medications are tools, and they must be used appropriately by trained professionals to achieve the desired outcome.