It’s important to learn how to use your medicines safely to avoid unwanted side effects and interactions – especially as you age. The older you get, the more likely you are to be taking additional medicines (prescription and over-the-counter) which can increase your chance of having harmful side effects and interactions. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, each year in the United States 7,000 to 9,000 people die as a result of a medication error. And the FDA receives more than 100,000 reports every year related to medication errors. Medication errors can occur in pharmacies, hospitals, and at home, so everyone, no matter your age, could use a reminder that we all need to be more aware of the proper use and storage of the medications we take.