Tip 1: Four Checks When Purchasing Medicines

1. Check whether the pharmacy holds a Drug Business License. Formal pharmacies shall possess a Drug Business License, a Business License and a GSP certification certificate.

2. Check the outer packaging of medicines, which must display the drug approval number, manufacturer, batch number, production date, expiry date, indications, usage, dosage, generic name and brand name.

3. Check the drug instructions covering indications, adverse reactions, precautions, storage requirements and manufacturer information.

4. Keep invoices or computer receipts provided by the pharmacy. File complaints and reports with drug regulatory authorities or consumer associations if any drug quality problems are found.

Tip 2: Six Prohibitions for Drug Advertisements

1. No unscientific assertions or guarantees of curative effects.

2. No endorsement using the names or images of state organs, medical research institutions, academic organizations, experts, scholars, physicians or patients.

3. No absolute wording such as radical cure, complete eradication, no recurrence, instant cure, national-level, most advanced science and top technology.

4. No promises including "full refund if ineffective", "insured by insurance companies", "zero side effects" and "complete recovery after one or several courses".

5. No data on cure rates, effective rates or awards.

6. No patient letters or testimonials claiming symptom relief or recovery from the product. Dial 12315 to report illegal advertisements.

Tip 3: Four Difficulties of Online Drug Purchase

1. Hard to verify whether the seller is a legal drug manufacturer or distributor.

2. Unable to inspect physical products, making authenticity identification difficult.

3. Troublesome to file complaints and claim compensation once problems occur.

4. Uncontrolled storage conditions during delivery, which may damage drug quality.

Tip 4: Four Clarifications for Rational Medication

1. Clarify the root cause of illness. Avoid overusing antibiotics, which may mask symptoms and delay treatment.

2. Clarify medical history and drug allergy history.

3. Clarify potential hazards of drug-drug interactions.

4. Clarify proper dosage and strictly follow doctors’ orders.

Tip 5: Five Things to Avoid for Safe Medication

1. Do not seek medical treatment in pharmacies. Illegal medical practice in pharmacies features crude facilities, unqualified practitioners and arbitrary medication, posing severe threats to public health.

2. Do not trust recommendations from in-store promoters.

3. Do not randomly buy substitute medicines.

4. Do not judge drug quality and efficacy solely by price.

5. Do not take health supplements as medicines. Always look for the "National Medicine Approval Number"; health supplements have no therapeutic effects on diseases.

Tip 6: Four Inspections Before Injection

1. Check if disposable sterile syringes and infusion sets are used without repeated reuse.

2. Check intact packaging with manufacturer, production license number, medical device registration number and valid shelf life.

3. Check if medical cotton swabs for disinfection are qualified products approved by the National Medical Products Administration.

4. Check for foreign objects inside injection vials.

Tip 7: Five Precautions for Taking Traditional Chinese Medicine

1. Follow medical advice; do not arbitrarily adjust dosage or administration methods.

2. Avoid long-term use of the same prescription or herbal medicine to prevent cumulative toxic effects.

3. Tonic medicines are only suitable for deficient constitutions; avoid tonic therapy for people without deficiency symptoms.

4. Use folk empirical prescriptions with caution.

5. Watch for abnormal reactions such as skin rashes, itching and fever; stop medication immediately and seek timely medical care if abnormalities appear.

Tip 8: Extra Caution for Four Special Populations

1. Pregnant women: Medicines affect maternal health and fetal development; medication must follow doctors’ guidance.

2. Elderly people: Degenerated organ functions raise risks of adverse drug reactions. Most seniors suffer multiple chronic illnesses requiring long-term medication. Select drugs with mild side effects, adjust dosages appropriately and avoid harmful drug interactions.

3. Children: Accurately diagnose conditions for targeted treatment; select medicines carefully and control dosages strictly; store medicines securely to prevent accidental ingestion.

4. Patients with impaired liver or kidney function: Weak detoxification capacity. Inform pharmacists or doctors of physical conditions before buying medicines and take drugs strictly as instructed.

Tip 9: Four Rules for Family Drug Storage

1. Store medicines away from light, at proper temperature and moisture-proof as instructed. Refrigerate low-temperature required drugs in the refrigerator compartment instead of the freezer, as freezing causes deterioration and reduced efficacy.

2. Separate oral and external medicines; isolate sleeping pills and toxic drugs from others. Store medicines high up or locked away in households with children.

3. Clear out expired and invalid medicines monthly.

4. Dispose of problematic medicines in a timely manner, including expired drugs, leaking oral liquids, cracked/discolored/molded tablets, malfunctioning aerosols, lost-adhesive plasters, eye drops opened for more than one month and damaged sterile dressings.

Tip 10: Proper Disposal of Four Kinds of Expired Medicines

1. Soluble medicines (tablets, pills, capsules, syrups, oral liquids): Dilute with water and pour down the sewer.

2. Ointments and creams: Squeeze out the paste and discard.

3. Aerosols: Empty contents far from open flames.

4. Injections and liquid pharmaceuticals: Destroy containers and drain residual liquid.