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Safety when you’re taking a potential or reproductive hazard medicine

Taking the medicine

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​How do I take the medicine safely?

Always wash your hands with soap and water before and after taking a potential or reproductive hazard medicine.

If your medicine is damaged—for example, a broken pill (or powder found in the medicine container), leaking liquid, or the fluid for the injection is cloudy​—talk to your pharmacist.

Taking a pill

Don't chew, crush, dissolve, break, or open pills (tablet or capsule) unless your pharmacist tells you to.

Taking a liquid medicine 

To take the liquid medicine:

  • By mouth, use the prefilled oral syringe, if your pharmacist gave you one. If your medicine isn't in a prefilled oral syringe, use an oral syringe from your pharmacist to measure out 1 dose.
  • Through your feeding tube, use the prefilled tube-feeding syringe (if your pharmacist gave you one). If your medicine isn't in a prefilled tube-feeding syringe, use a tube feeding syringe and measure out 1 dose.​

Oral or tube-feeding syringes that are used more than once should be cleaned immediately after each use. Do not put them in boiling water, a dishwasher, or a microwave oven. Follow these steps:

  1. Put on disposable gloves before cleaning the syringes (if you're a caregiver).
  2. Take the plunger out of the barrel of the syringe.
  3. Wash both parts in warm water and soap separately from other items.
  4. Rinse them well with water to remove all the soap.
  5. Place them on a clean towel or lint-free paper towel and let them air dry.
  6. Store the syringe and plunger in clean container at room temperature. Do not store them in your fridge.
  7. Throw out the syringe when the plunger becomes hard to move or you can't read the numbers clearly.
Taking the medicine other ways

To take a potential or reproductive hazard medicine by an injection (with a needle), follow the instructions from your healthcare provider.

To apply a potential or reproductive hazard medicine as a cream, gel, or ointment, follow the instructions from your healthcare provider.

How would a caregiver give me a potential or reproductive hazard medicine safely?

Caregivers should not touch the medicine with bare hands.

Caregivers should always do the following when giving you this medicine:

  • Wear disposable gloves.
  • Wash hands with soap and water before putting on disposable gloves and after taking them off. Do not touch other objects or surfaces while wearing disposable gloves.
  • Give pills by pouring them into a cup (disposable, if possible) or into the cap of the medicine bottle.
  • Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for applying the medicine as a cream, gel, or ointment.



Current as of: June 24, 2022

Author: Provincial Hazardous Medication Committee, Alberta Health Services