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Medicines list

Key points about medicines list

A medicines list can be a useful way to keep all the information about your current medicines together.
In New Zealand a medicines list is also called a yellow card.
Find out how to start making one and keep it updated.

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A medicines list is used to record all the medicines you use. This list includes:

all medicines that your doctor has prescribed including creams, ointments, eye medication, inhalers or puffers, sprays and patches.
medicines you bought at a supermarket, pharmacy, health shop, gym or over the internet
vitamins and mineral supplements, herbal and natural remedies, alternative, complementary and rongoā therapies
medicines you take only when needed such as pain relief, some asthma inhalers or angina medicines.

Your medicine list will have also have other details such as:

what each medicine is for
how much of each you use
when and how to use each medicine
any drug allergies, side effects, or sensitivities you have.

Doctors, nurses and pharmacists need to know what medicines you are on to help them make decisions about your care and to prevent errors occurring. A medicines list is the best way to keep all the information about your medicines together. It will:

remind you or your carer how and when to take your medicine
help you to know more about your medicines and what are they for
help your doctor and pharmacist check and review your medicines
provide important information about your medicines in an emergency.

Take your medicines list with you to each doctor's appointment or trip to the pharmacy or dentist

While your GP or pharmacist may have a list of your medications in their files, it may not be the most accurate list of the medicines you are taking because:

you might be seeing more than one doctor
you might be using medicines bought from the supermarket, health shop or over-the-counter from your pharmacy
you may have had changes to your medicines during a recent hospital visit.

In this video Merle talks about the importance of understanding and managing your medicines. It may take a few moments to load.

(Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ, 2020)

(Health Navigator Charitable Trust, NZ, 2019)

[PDF, 190 KB]In New Zealand, your pharmacist can help you create a medicines list called a 'yellow card'. The yellow card is used throughout New Zealand to help people keep a record of their medications.

[PDF, 190 KB]The yellow card has information such as medicine name, strength, form, dosing, what is it for and other special instructions about how to take it or possible side effects to watch out for.
If you don't have a yellow card, talk to your pharmacist about creating one.
Before you leave hospital, the pharmacist can help you create or update your yellow card.

If you don't have access to a yellow card, you can use 'My medicines list [PDF, 166 KB]'.

Keep your medicines list or yellow card updated to ensure it is a correct reflection of the medicines you are taking. Update your list when:

you start a new medicine
there are changes to the dose of your medicines
leaving hospital (because changes to medicines are quite common during a stay in hospital)
seeing many health professionals.

Common questions to ask about the medicines you are taking
Medicines – safety tips
Medicines – when problems occur
My medicines list

Patient guide for safe use of medicines (English)(external link), (Chinese)(external link), (Korean)(external link) SafeRx, Waitematā DHB, 2013
Medicines – when can problems occur?
Questions to ask about your medicines
Using medicines wisely