Drugs
Educational Resources: Ensuring Safe Use of Medicine
These educational resources provide information on the safe use of medicine, including the general use of medicine, driving while using medicine, and safe use of medicine for seniors. They are intended for use by educators, health care professionals, and consumers.
Most materials are available in PDF format for immediate downloading or printing. Some materials may be available in print to order at no cost. Send requests for printed materials to ocommpubs@fda.hhs.gov or call 1-888-INFO-FDA.
Brochures |
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Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team. How to become involved in your health care, manage risks, and increase the safe and effective use of your medicines; with question guide. (Printed size 3 1/2" x 8 1/2"; 8 panel; English - text and graphic; Spanish - text only)
Sea Miembro Activo del Equipo de Cuidados de la Salud | Think It Through: A Guide to Managing the Benfits and Risks of Medicine Benefits and risks of medicine use, how to make medicine choices and increase benefits. (Printed size 3 ½” x 8 ½ “; 8 panel; English - graphic and text; Spanish - text only) En Español Piénselo Muy Bien: Una Guía Para el Control de los Beneficios y Riesgos de las Medicinas | Tips for Talking with Your Pharmacist – to learn how to use medicines safely Tips to help you in the pharmacy to learn how to use medicine safely. (Printed size 4" x 9"; 4 panel; English graphic and text)
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Driving When You Are Taking Medications. En Español | Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team. How to be an active member on your health care team to manage the benefits and risks, and make medicine use safer. Expanded question guide. (Printed size 3-1/2” x 8-1/2”; 12 pages; English and Spanish; updated version of 8-panel brochure)
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Medicines and You: A guide for older adults. Educational guide for seniors about safe and responsible medicine use. (Done in cooperation with Council on Family Health). (Printed size 5 3/8” x 8-1/2”; 17 pages; English and Spanish) En Español | As You Age…A Guide to Aging, Medicines, and Alcohol Steps to take, signs of problems, how to talk with health care professionals. Easy chart to record your prescription and over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements. (Printed size 4” x 9”; English) | Protect Yourself Against Tampering. ("Slim Jim," printed size 4" x 9"; 2-sided; English.) |
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Avoid Food-Drug Interactions 34 page booklet; provides information on interactions between some common prescription and over-the-counter medicines with food, caffeine, and alcohol. (Done in cooperation with the National Consumers League.) | Drug Interactions: What You Should Know. Discusses the precautions that need to be used when taking more than one over-the-counter medicine. (Printed size 4" x 9"; 10 panel; English and Spanish) |
Articles |
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Be An Active Member Of Your Health Care Team.
(Printed size 4.5" x 7.75"; black and white; English) | Think It Through” To Manage The Benefits And Risks Of All Medicines. Benefits and risks of medicine and how to make medicine use safer and more effective. (Printed size 4.25" x 7"; black and white; English) |
Print Public Service Announcements |
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Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team. | You have a hand in your health with the safe and effective use of medicines. Brown version |
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Think It Through: Managing the Benefits and | Check Your Medicines-Tips for Using Medicines Safely less text more text |
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Information: Your best medicine. | What Are You Adding to the Mix? | When using medicine, sometimes two rights make a wrong. |
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Balance the benefits and risks of using medicine. | As you age... there’s no better time to learn more about how to take medications the right way This print public service announcement, available on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website in PDF format, warns older Americans of the dangers of mixing certain prescription drugs or prescription medications and alcohol. | As you age…Ask, Guard, Educate This print public service announcement, available on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website in PDF format, warns older Americans of the dangers of mixing certain prescription drugs or prescription medications and alcohol.
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Follow the prescription - Do the Right Dose This link will take you to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website. Here you will find 2 different print public service announcements in PDF format from the “As You Age…” campaign. They encourage older adults to follow their doctors’ directions when using prescription pain relievers. | Stop — Learn — Go — to Buying and Using Medicine Safely. |
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Driving? Check the Medicine Label to Make Sure You're Able. | Driving? Check ALL of Your Medicine Labels BEFORE You Hit the Road. |
Internet Public Service Announcement Banners |
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(Sizes vary; English and Spanish; can be used on websites and linked to the pertinent Web pages. Other sizes may be available upon request.)
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Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team
| Sea un miembro activo de su equipo de atención médica En Español
| Using Medicine As You Age ...
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Driving? Before You Hit the Road, Check the Medicine Label to Make Sure You're Able.
FDA suggests that the banner graphic link to the Driving When You Are Taking Medications brochure. | Stop — Learn — Go — to www.fda.gov/usemedicinesafely. FDA suggests that the banner graphic link to Ensuring Safe Use of Medicine. | Use Medicines? Use FDA's Medicine Record.
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In-Store, Radio, and Television Public Service Announcements |
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- In-Store Broadcast Announcment
Title | Voice | Run Time | Transcript |
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Male | 00:00:35 | ||
Female | 00:00:32 |
- Radio and Television Public Service Announcements
- As You Age...A Guide to Aging, Medicines, and Alcohol. This link will take you to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website. Here you will find 6 different radio public service announcements (2 each 15, 20 and 30 second ads) and three different television public service announcements to inform older adults about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.
- As You Age...Do the Right Dose. This link will take you to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website. Here you will find 2 different radio public service announcements (a 20 and a 30 second ad) and 2 television public service announcements (a 30 and a 15 second ad) to encourage older adults to "Do The Right Dose" when using prescription pain relievers.
Slide Show Presentations |
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- Using Prescription Pain Medication (PDF - 638KB) (text version)
10-slide PowerPoint presentation
Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team (PDF - 354KB)
24-slide PowerPoint presentation
Additional Resources
Some Medications and Driving Don't Mix
FDA Consumer Update article (2008)6 Tips to Avoid Medication Mistakes
FDA Consumer Update article (2008)List of OTC Medicines to Consider
Medicines that can make it unsafe to drive a car or operate dangerous machinery
