How to Safely Handle Your Child's Hazardous Medicines at Home

What are hazardous medicines?

Hazardous medicines are used to treat many medical conditions, but they can damage healthy cells and be harmful to the people who handle them. Anyone handling hazardous medicines should take special care to avoid spills, splashes, breathing in the medicine, or touching the body fluids of people taking the medicine. The risk of harm from handling hazardous medicines is small, but it is a good idea to avoid exposure as much as possible. Ask your child’s doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to find out if your child is taking any hazardous medicines.

What do I need to do?

Follow the safety steps below while your child is taking hazardous medicine. It is important to follow these for at least 48 hours after your child takes the medicine. This is because the medicine may still be in your child’s urine, stool, sweat, mucus, blood, and vomit. Ask your child’s doctor if you should follow these safety steps longer than 48 hours .

Try to avoid handling hazardous medicine if you are pregnant. If you need to handle it, follow all safety steps very carefully.

Storing the medicine

• Store it away from extreme heat, cold, and humidity.

• Store it away from children and pets.

• Keep it in the original container if possible.

Handling the medicine

• Wear disposable (single use) gloves while handling hazardous medicine and your child’s body fluids (urine, stool, vomit, etc.).

• Wash your hands very well before and after handling the medicine.

• Do not crush tablets or open capsules. If your child has trouble taking the medicine, talk with their doctor.

• Do not handle the medicine where food is prepared, or under fans or air vents.

• If a spill happens, use a home spill kit to clean up the spill. Then scrub the area with soap and water. Request a spill kit from the pharmacy when you pick up the prescription.

Disposing of the medicine

• Do not throw away hazardous medicine in the trash or the toilet.

• Ask the pharmacist or doctor how to dispose of the medicine safely. Ask if you can return unused medicine to the pharmacy.

How to handle body fluids safely

Hazardous medicine can come out in your child’s body fluids. This includes urine, stool, sweat, mucus, blood, and vomit. Handle body fluids carefully.

• Wear two pairs of disposable (single use) gloves if you need to touch body fluids. Wash your hands well afterwards.

• Have your child sit while using the toilet to reduce splashing. Then flush twice with the lid down. Wear gloves to clean the toilet seat after each use if other people use the toilet.

• Double-bag diapers before placing them in the trash.

• Wash your child’s bedding and clothes in your washing machine using warm water and regular detergent. Don’t wash them with other laundry.

• If you come into contact with any contaminated body fluids, wash the area right away with soap and water. Then ask your child’s doctor if you need to take additional steps.

Why should I do this?

Following these safety steps will help protect you and others from unwanted effects of hazardous medicines.

How do I get more information?

For more information about handling hazardous medicines, visit the American Cancer Society at cancer.org or call 800-227-2345.