Thousands of people rescued from rooftops and plucked from rising water during Hurricane Harvey had to leave everything behind. For many, prescription drugs were among the items they abandoned.
Missing days of essential medicine can pose a health threat and adds to the sense of panic people feel during such emergencies — especially natural disasters. Fortunately, disaster response teams and medical units have been set up across the ravaged Texas counties. Those teams are helping provide access to prescription refills and vital medical care.
“This is a horrible, devastating time, but people should realize that continuing to take their medicines will help them meet the challenges,” said Barbara Young of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
For example, the more than 10,000 evacuees taking shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston have an on-site medical facility — established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional medical stations have opened in Dallas and are ready to be deployed in Baton Rouge, La.
Texas state law allows pharmacists to dispense as much as a 30-day supply of a prescription drug during a natural disaster without a doctor’s authorization. American Red Cross volunteers also are authorized to help with refilling prescriptions in an emergency.
Even for people who were able to gather their medicines before evacuating their homes, there’s a concern about drugs that require refrigeration. According to Consumer Reports, some medications that should be refrigerated are still safe to take if they are at room temperature for days — or sometimes months. It’s important to check with medical experts or a pharmacist for advice. Any drugs that have been exposed to flood water or unsafe tap water should be discarded, as they might be contaminated.