With hurricane season well underway, staying safe in an emergency is top of mind for many of us. The American Red Cross can help you find out which emergencies are most likely to occur where you live, and tell you what steps you can take today to prepare.*
Prescription for safety
In addition, consider following these five tips** to help meet your family’s medicine needs in an emergency:
1. Make a list of your medicines, including why you take them, and their dose.
2. Include both prescription and over-the-counter medicines in your disaster kit.
3. Write down your pharmacy and doctor contact information.
4. Keep prescriptions, pharmacy and doctor information, and a copy of your health insurance ID and pharmacy ID cards in a waterproof container.
5. Have a plan for medicine that needs to be refrigerated.
Emergency prescription laws
If you’re concerned that you may run out of medicine during a natural disaster, keep in mind that some states have emergency prescription refill laws that authorize pharmacies and pharmacists to dispense early refills of certain medications when under an emergency declaration.
Laws vary by state. So contact your state health department or talk to your pharmacist to learn more about the law where you live.
Don’t wait
The midst of an emergency is not the time to seek answers to your questions about preparedness. Act now to get the information you need to keep you and your family safe.
Millions of Americans depend on prescription drugs to maintain their health. Your doctor or pharmacist will be happy to talk to you about managing your prescription and over-the-counter medicine needs.
* https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html
** https://www.carelonrx.com/content/dam/digital/carelon/crx-assets/documents/Five-tips-for-medicines-before-storm.pdf
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