National Check Your Meds Day

Every year on October 21, the day known as National Check Your Meds Day reminds us to review our medications—prescription drugs, over-the-counter products and supplements—to ensure they’re still the best fit for us.

History of National Check Your Meds Day

This initiative emerged from growing concerns about medication misuse, interactions, and hidden risks when people take multiple drugs without regular review. It was officially recognised in 2017 and placed on October 21 to create a moment in the year when everyone is encouraged to do a medication check-up.

The day particularly highlights the role of pharmacists and healthcare providers, encouraging patients to bring in their medications for review. With more people taking multiple prescriptions alongside vitamins or herbal remedies, the day serves as a timely prompt to reassess what we’re taking and why.

Why is National Check Your Meds Day important?

When I think about this day, I don’t just think of pills—I think of people trying to feel better, stay healthy, manage chronic issues or recover from something serious. Medications can be lifesaving, but they also need supervision. Our bodies change, our conditions evolve, and sometimes we keep taking something simply out of habit. This day is about catching those little things before they become big problems.

And let’s be honest—many of us forget to check expiry dates, don’t read the fine print on how to take something, or never ask if one pill might be clashing with another. National Check Your Meds Day gives us permission to ask those questions. It reminds us that being informed isn’t being difficult—it’s being responsible and taking part in your own healthcare.

• Encourages a yearly habit of reviewing medications
• Prevents harmful interactions between drugs or supplements
• Reminds us to safely dispose of expired or unused meds
• Strengthens communication with pharmacists and doctors
• Helps older adults and caregivers stay organised and safe

How to Observe National Check Your Meds Day

Start small. Pull out every bottle or box—prescriptions, vitamins, herbal supplements, painkillers—from cabinets, drawers, purses. Look at expiry dates, ask yourself why you’re taking each one, and make a list. Bring that list to your local pharmacy or doctor and ask for a simple check-up. Most pharmacists are more than happy to go through your meds and explain what’s still appropriate.

You can also use this day to help someone else—an older parent, a friend who’s on multiple meds, or even a neighbour. Sometimes the act of talking through what each medication is for and how it’s taken is enough to catch a mistake before it turns into something worse. The goal isn’t to scare—it’s to feel more confident and informed.

• Make a full list of what you take and why
• Visit your pharmacist for a review
• Throw out expired meds using proper disposal methods
• Organise your medications into a clear weekly schedule
• Help a loved one sort and check their medications too

National Check Your Meds Day Dates Table