For consumers
(1300 633 424)
Mon-Fri | 9am-5pm AEST
Your call will be answered by healthdirect Australia
For health professionals
Find out the active ingredient and other brand names of your medicines with the NPS Medicine Name Finder
For a medicinewise Australia
Independent. Not-for-profit. Evidence based.

Is it something on prescription
Or from a health food store?
A pill, a patch or lotion
Or is it something more?
Can I mix it all together
Take more to get well faster?
Or is doing things like this
A recipe for disaster?
Now where the heck to store it?
Not in some place hot
And do I stop when I am better
Or finish off the lot?
If I get a bad reaction
What else can I choose?
And will it make me drowsy
If I mix it with some booze?
So tell the doctor what you're taking
And tell the pharmacist
But if you can't remember
You'd better make a list
If you need more information
For the cost of a local call
Phone the Medicines Line
Tack this number to the wall - 1800 888 763
Written by Dina Campbell, Townsville who has worked as a peer educator for the Seniors QUM Program.
MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter for consumers written by consumers about using medicines wisely. Subscribe to the hard copy version using our online ordering system, or write to MedicinesTalk, National Prescribing Service Limited, PO Box 1147, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012.
Date published: 2006-12-01 00:00:05
Reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the date of creation. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified health professional. Health professionals should rely on their own expertise and enquiries when providing medical advice or treatment. Where permitted by law, NPS disclaims all liability (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or injury resulting from reliance on or use of this information. Read our full disclaimer.
References to brands should not be taken as an endorsement by NPS.