Guidance, built from SEFAC, the Red Cross, the Spanish Paediatrics Association and official product information.
Always ask your pharmacist before buying a specific item — especially the ones marked prescription-only, and bear in mind which medicines need a prescription differs from country to country. A medicine cabinet is not a diagnosis. See the clinical content policy.
1. Choose your household
2. Tick any health conditions (optional)
These add extra items: an antihistamine, a blood pressure monitor, a glucose meter, an auto-injector.
Worth remembering
Where to keep it
Somewhere cool (under 25 °C), dry and dark, out of reach of children and pets. NOT the bathroom — too damp. A few things (insulin, some inhalers, probiotics) need the fridge.
Expired? Back to the pharmacy
Expired medicines go back to a pharmacy — the SIGRE point in Spain, any pharmacy counter in the UK. NEVER the bin or the toilet: they end up in the water and the soil.
A regular look through
Once a year at the very least. An adrenaline auto-injector, glucose strips and opened saline want checking every 6 months.
Numbers to have on the fridge
Your own country’s, written down where everyone can see them: the emergency number (999 or 112 in the UK, 911 in the US, 112 across the EU), the poisons centre (111 in the UK, 1-800-222-1222 in the US, 91 562 04 20 in Spain) and a mental health crisis line (116 123 for Samaritans in the UK and Ireland, 988 in the US, 024 in Spain).
Frequently asked questions
How often should I go through the medicine cabinet?
Once a year at the very least, checking expiry dates and throwing out anything opened more than 12 months ago. An adrenaline auto-injector and glucose test strips need checking every 6 months — their shelf life is short.
Where should I keep it?
Somewhere cool (under 25 °C), dry and dark, out of reach of children and pets. NOT the bathroom — too damp. Keep everything in its original box with the leaflet. A few things — insulin, some inhalers, probiotics — need the fridge.
What do I do with medicines that have expired?
Take them back to a pharmacy for disposal. NEVER put them in the household bin or down the toilet: they end up in the water. In Spain that is the SIGRE point (the white bin) in any pharmacy; in the UK any pharmacy will take them; elsewhere, ask your pharmacist what the local scheme is.
Do any of these need a prescription?
Yes, and which ones depends on the country. A salbutamol inhaler, an adrenaline auto-injector, antimalarials and standby antibiotics need a prescription almost everywhere. Others move between prescription and over-the-counter depending where you are — omeprazole and some antihistamines, for instance — so check your own classification rather than assuming.
What if my child swallows something from the cabinet?
Call your national poisons centre straight away — it is 91 562 04 20 in Spain, 111 in the UK, and 1-800-222-1222 in the US — or the emergency number if they are unwell. Have the packaging to hand and an idea of how much was taken. Do not make them vomit unless you are told to.