Using common drugs without proper knowledge can be dangerous, as herbs and vitamins contain ingredients that may interact with common drugs. Also, questions such as “Can medicines be shared among family members?”, “Can antibiotics be kept for the next infection?”, “What is the best time to take medicine?”, “What is actually meant by ‘before’ and ‘after’ food?”, “Can drugs be taken with herbal medications?”, “Can tablets be taken with hot water or coffee?”, “What is the maximum dose of paracetamol per day?” and “Will paracetamol interact with durian or alcohol?” may seem trivial but are important. Written in an easily understood Q&A format, TIPS ON USING COMMON MEDICINES SAFELY provides information on how to maximise the use of common medicines while minimising the impact of their side effects. It also gives concise information on how to avoid harmful interactions with other drugs, food, herbs and vitamins.

1. Medicine