How to Identify the Unpackaged Pill That You Found

Have you or someone you know ever stumbled on an unpackaged pill lying about? If you’ve ever been in this situation, you know the guessing game that ensues as this lonely little pill stares at you. While it may not seem like a huge deal to some, it is important to properly identify it before consuming or disposing of it to avoid taking something that could prove unsafe, or even lethal. Here are a few ways to get the job done.

The Dangers of Taking Rogue Medication

Before we get into how to ID your found pill, let’s briefly touch on why this is such an important safety measure. Every year, hospital emergency rooms receive more than 2 million visits for adverse reactions to medication. These range from abdominal pain and nausea to organ failure and death. While some of these cases can be chalked up to patients not following their doctor’s orders, a good portion of them is due to people taking medications that were not meant for them, or were mistakenly confused for the medication they intended to take, such as confusing an over the counter headache medicine for a blood pressure medication.

Let’s Get a Positive ID

If the pill is intact, handle it with care – and a glove if you don’t know where it’s been – and do the following:

1. Check the shape, size, and color of the pill against images online or in a reference book. This is the most foolproof way to identify a pill, but it can be tricky if the pill is old or damaged.
2. If you have a smartphone, download an app like Pill ID and enter the pill’s information. These apps usually have extensive databases of pills that can help you make an identification.
3. Take the pill to your local pharmacy and ask the pharmacist to ID it. This is a good option if you’re not comfortable handling the pill or don’t have access to a reference book or smartphone. Industry professionals like Pharmaceutical Systems Solutions understand how critical it is to handle medications with FDA compliance, from start to finish. A pharmacy can further assist you in disposing of medications safely. Never flush medications down the toilet, as this can contaminate the water supply.
4. If you have access to a microscope, take a close look at the pill’s imprint code, which is the lettering or numbering on one or both sides of the pill. This can be a helpful way to ID pills, but keep in mind that some pills don’t have imprint codes.
5. If you’re still stumped, your best bet is to take the pill to a hospital or poison control center and let the professionals handle it. Pharmacies often have a box drop for unused medications and are equipped to handle the proper way of disposing of the medication.

Once you’ve identified the pill, you can then decide whether it’s meant for you to take. If it’s a prescription medication, don’t take it unless it has been prescribed to you by a doctor. If it’s an over-the-counter medication, only take it if it’s intended for the symptom you’re experiencing. And as always, when in doubt, consult a medical professional.