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Narrator: This message is brought to you by AHRQ, the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality. To keep from taking the wrong amount or type of medicine, take an active role in
your own health care. Here are a few tips to help you check your medicines. Bring all
the medicines you take to your clinician, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins,
or herbal supplements. Ask if they’re safe to take together. Make sure you know the names
of your medicines, and why you’re taking them. You should know how much medicine to
take, when to take it, and whether to take it with food. If you have any concerns, ask
questions until you understand the answers. Know how long you’ll take the medicine,
and if you’ll need refills. Ask your doctor if you’ll need follow-up visits or tests.
Check a new prescription or refill before leaving the pharmacy, and make sure it’s
what the doctor prescribed for you. If it seems different in size or color, ask your
pharmacist. Keeping these tips in mind will help you check your meds, and take them safely.