How do you dispose unused medications?
What should you do with expired medicines, leftover tablets or unused syrups? Should they go into the dustbin, down the sink or back to a pharmacy?
The PhVFit Safe Medicine Disposal Comic Strip uses an engaging conversation between Arjun and Lolita to help school students understand the importance of disposing of medicines safely and responsibly.
What does this comic teach?
- Medicine take-back programmes: Why returning unused or expired medicines to pharmacies, hospitals or authorised collection centres is generally the preferred option where available.
- Safe disposal of tablets and capsules: Understanding why medicines should not be discarded carelessly and why local disposal guidance matters.
- Liquid medicines, syrups and drops: Learning why medicines should not simply be poured into sinks or drains.
- Creams, ointments and gels: Understanding the importance of securing medicine containers before disposal.
- Inhalers: Recognising that inhalers may require special handling and should be disposed of according to local guidance.
- Needles, syringes and sharps: Learning why these must never be thrown into ordinary household waste and should be placed in appropriate sharps containers.
- Protecting people and the environment: Understanding how irresponsible disposal can expose people and animals to medicines and contribute to environmental contamination.
A classroom resource for medication safety education
Designed as part of the PhVFit School Medication Safety Toolkit, this one-page comic can be used by teachers, schools, healthcare professionals and NGOs to introduce safe medicine disposal through storytelling.
Students can read the comic, discuss everyday situations involving unused medicines and learn practical ways to protect their families, communities and environment.
Its simple, visual format makes it suitable for classroom discussions, school health awareness programmes and medication safety campaigns.
The message is simple: Medicines need responsible use—and responsible disposal too!
PhVFit | Fostering Patient Safety