CADCA and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) partnered recently to raise awareness about the Over the Counter (OTC) Medicine Safety program, and to expand its use in schools.  A significant amount of research suggests that children begin to self-medicate around 11 years old (5^º or 6^º grade).  As a result, with the help of a youth coalition leader, the aim of the program was to teach the OTC Medicine Safety program to 5^º e 6^º alunos.

A series of five video tutorials were created to virtually train teen coalition leaders interested in implementing the program in their local communities.  The series reviewed best practices for teaching 5^º e 6^º graders, as well as the materials needed for every lesson. 

The concept for the video tutorials as an additional resource to the OTC Medicine Safety program was first  introduced at a 75-minute session entitled “How to Engage Teens and Tweens on Medicine Safety” presented by Dhuha Saber, Associate Manager of Science and Compliance, OTC Medical Affairs, Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc., Krista Osterthaler, Vice President, National Data Services, American Association of Poison Control Centers and Shweta Adyanthaya, Director of Communications and Marketing, CADCA at CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in February 2018.
 

Introduction Video provides an overview of the OTC Medicine Safety program, including the lesson plans, facilitator guides, student worksheets, activities, posters, assessment tools and additional resources available on the website. 

Video One defines OTC and prescription medicines, examining and reiterating the differences between the two.  This lesson also reviews how to responsibly use medicine.

Video Two identifies the drug facts label and reviews the definitions of the terms within labels and the potential consequences of not doing so. The lesson also identifies the steps to take in the event of a medicine mistake.

Video Three focuses on dosing information relative to the drug facts labels and reiterates why using proper dosing tools is important. The video also describes safe and unsafe locations for medicine storage and safe disposal of medications. 

Video Four defines misuse as it relates to OTC medicine and discusses the harmful effects of misusing OTC medicines, as well as the steps to take when encountered with OTC misuse.