Mohamad-Ali Salloum is a Pharmacist and science writer. He loves simplifying science to the general public and healthcare students through words and illustrations. When he's not working, you can usually find him in the gym, reading a book, or learning a new skill.
Is the pill organizer safe?
Mohamad Ali Salloum, PharmD • May 22, 2022
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Taking a lot of medications can confuse the patients over time since they might not remember if they took the drug today or not. Not to mention that a lot of these patients are from the elderly population.
David P. Wagner received his patent for inventing the pill organizer on 4 Aug 1964. The reason he had this idea is that his wife was forgetting if she had already taken her medications.
This invention helped a lot of patients to remember taking their medications on time every day but the question we are asking today is that
“Are they safe?”
Studies on Medication organization devices (MODs) are of poor quality, and the relationship between adherence and health outcomes is unclear. (2)
Heat, air, light, and moisture may impact the effectiveness and safety of a medicine. The original container is designed to protect the medicine from these elements. (3)Some medicines cannot be repacked and must be stored in the original container until it is time for the patient to take them. (3)
A study done in 2013 showed that the use of the organizers for storing and carrying tablets and capsules exposes these medications to environmental factors from which their original packaging protected them, compromising their stability and safeness. (1)
Older people who switch to using pill organizers could experience adverse effects and even hospitalization -according to research from the University of East Anglia. New research reveals that people who switch from usual medication packaging to a pill organizer are more likely to become unwell than those not using them. When these patients were switched to a pill organizer and suddenly started taking more of their prescribed medication than previously, they experienced normal side effects of the medication." (2)
In Conclusion, the research team says that patients should consult their General Physician or Pharmacist before switching to a pill organizer.
Resources:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23703138/https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/hta20500/#/abstract
- https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/September2014MedicineStorage.htm
- https://www.tripakltd.com/news/post/the-importance-of-packaging-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
- https://www.tripakltd.com/news/post/the-importance-of-packaging-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
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Mohamad-Ali Salloum, PharmD
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References: Zaniletti I, Larson DR, Lewallen DG, Berry DJ, Maradit Kremers H. How to Distinguish Correlation from Causation in Orthopaedic Research. J Arthroplasty. 2022;38(4):634‑637. [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] Association of Health Care Journalists. Correlation vs. Causation. [healthjournalism.org] Rush J, Ajami M, Look K, Margolis A. Statistics Review Part 10: Causality and Confounding. J Pharm Soc Wis. [jpswi.org] Biostat Prime. Correlation vs Causation: Meaning, Differences & Examples. [biostatprime.com] Koopmans E, Schiller C. Understanding Causation in Healthcare: An Introduction to Critical Realism. Qual Health Res. 2022;32(8–9):1207–1214. [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
References: Very Big Brain. Somatic Memories: How Physical Sensations Trigger Past Memories and Emotions . 2023 Nov 26. [verybigbrain.com] Misattribution of arousal. Wikipedia . 2026. [en.wikipedia.org] Zimbardo P. The Misattribution of Arousal Study (Dutton & Aron) . 2026. [zimbardo.com] Higgins L. Why You Feel Anxious After Drinking Coffee . TIME. 2025 Nov 11. [time.com] Double KS. Metacognitive ability is associated with reduced emotion suppression . Scientific Reports. 2026 Jan 28. [nature.com] Merkebu J et al. What is metacognitive reflection? Front Educ. 2023 Apr 5. [researchgate.net] Meyers S et al. Cognitive Reappraisal is More Effective for Regulating Emotions than Moods . Affective Science. 2025 Jun 6. [link.springer.com]
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