Dollar stores are everywhere these days, and it’s not difficult to understand why.
As the name implies, they are affordable, and with so many locations, convenient, especially for those without transportation.
Although there are many great bargains to be found at dollar stores, over-the-counter medicine is one that should be approached with caution.
“Medication for pain, allergy, fever, heart burn or acid reflux is available, but consumers need to be careful,” said Dr. Brooke Mobley, associate medical director of skilled nursing care with Optum. “Do not purchase anything that was made outside of the United States, or if it’s a brand you have not heard of before.”
Medications made in other countries are not regulated or approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“There are a lot of concerning components in these medications,” Dr. Mobley said. “A few years back, the FDA found some of the medications contained ingredients that could be carcinogenic or potentially toxic with severe side effects, long term and short term.”
Though it’s safer to stick to recognized name brand medications, shoppers must still watch out for the product’s expiration or sell-by date. One of the reasons dollar stores can sell medications at a discount is because they buy products in bulk that are close to expiring. Most people buy a bottle of pain killer every few months or less often, which means it will expire while sitting in the medicine cabinet.
“Once the medication passes its expiration date, it’s not as effective,” Dr. Mobley said. “This may cause someone to take more to increase the effectiveness and that’s not safe.”
In fact, a good rule of thumb is to check the expiration date of any medicine you buy, whether at a pharmacy, grocery store or dollar store.
Many dollar stores also sell vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements, but because the FDA has no oversight over the ingredients and production of these products, it’s probably best to buy only from a trusted source or retailer. Shoppers can also look for products with a seal from United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Both organizations perform quality testing on dietary supplements.
