Cool, dry, dark, and out of children's reach - and not the bathroom cabinet.
Shower heat and humidity degrade medicine faster, and the FDA's expiration dating assumes the labeled storage conditions were followed. A bedroom drawer or a high kitchen cabinet away from the stove works for most medications; check the label for refrigeration or light-protection requirements.
What to do
Common questions
How should I store my medications?
Cool, dry, dark, and locked away from children - and despite the name, the bathroom medicine cabinet is one of the worst places in the house, because shower heat and humidity degrade pills faster. The FDA's expiration dating assumes the drug was stored according to its labeled conditions; storage is part of the guarantee. A bedroom dresser drawer or a high kitchen cabinet away from the stove and sink works well for most medications. Read the label for anything specific: some drugs need refrigeration, some need their original light-blocking bottle, and insulin and certain injectables have exact temperature rules. Keep pills in their original containers with the label intact - loose pills in a baggie invite mix-ups and lose the lot number you would need in a recall. For households with children or teens, a lockbox is the standard for anything dangerous. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can answer storage questions about a specific medication.