Many preppers ask about obtaining a supply of antibiotics they can keep at home to store for future emergencies. The idea is that in the wake of a major disaster or crisis, medical treatment may not be immediately accessible. Hospitals will likely be filled to capacity and then some. Pharmacies may not even be open for business.
Antibiotics can save lives, no question about it. And there are perfectly legal ways to obtain them for later use.
How to Store Antibiotics
Before we go any further, understand that nothing in this article is to be considered medical advice. This information is presented strictly for educational purposes. We highly recommend consulting with your physician before taking any medication, prescription, or otherwise.
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Do Your Homework
The first suggestion I have is to get a copy of Alton’s Antibiotics – The Layman’s Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings by Joseph Alton, MD, and Amy Alton, ARNP. Don’t just buy the book and toss it on a shelf. You need to actually read it. They cover everything from what causes infections to how to treat them effectively, with and without antibiotics.
One of the things to understand about antibiotics is that they aren’t universal. Different medications are best suited for different infections. You also need to know dosages, the length of treatment, and other pertinent information in order for the medication to be effective. From a strictly anecdotal perspective, I feel antibiotics are wildly overused because so many people misunderstand their purpose and how to use them properly.
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Online Sources
There are a few companies online that sell antibiotic kits, such as JASE Medical. They’re expensive, but less than you might pay at a pharmacy without insurance kicking in for part of it.
As you shop around, pay attention to the quantities provided for each medication. Let’s say it’s an antibiotic that you’d have to take three times a day for ten days. That’s 30 pills or capsules to treat one infection. If the kit or container you’re buying only comes with 30 pills, you’ll only have enough to treat one infection.
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Remember, too, that with antibiotics, it’s important to finish the cycle. If you shortchange it, your infection may just return.
Pet-Grade Medications
An option you might want to research further is the use of pet-grade medications. These are medications, such as antibiotics, that are packaged and sold expressly for fish and other pets. For several years, preppers and other self-reliant types relied on these medications, often because they couldn’t afford proper medical treatment.
This eventually became so pervasive that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began cracking down on retailers that were selling the medications without prescriptions. Up until then, you could walk into Tractor Supply, feed stores, and such, and buy fish mox (amoxycillin) right off the shelf.
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However, if you have sick fish at home, you can still buy these medications online from select providers.
Storage Considerations
As a general rule of thumb, store medications in their original packaging and keep them in a cool, dark, dry location. Most antibiotics and other medications will remain viable for upwards of two years or more beyond the “best by” date printed on the package.
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However, you need to research each medication individually to ensure one of them isn’t the exception to the rule. We don’t have the space here to cover every single medication out there, including ones that might be developed down the road
