Side effects are unwanted effects of a medicine. All medicines can cause side effects. It’s important to know the side effects of your medicines so that you know what to do if you get them.
What are medicine side effects?
Any unwanted or unexpected effects of a medicine are called side effects. They are also sometimes called adverse effects or adverse reactions.
Side effects can also include:
- interactions with other medicines or food
- the medicine not working well
Not all side effects are serious. Most are mild, although some medicines have serious side effects. These medicines are usually prescribed for serious health conditions.
You can often avoid side effects by taking the medicine exactly according to the instructions, for example after eating food, or at a certain time of the day.
What types of medicines can cause side effects?
All types of medicines can have side effects. This includes prescription medicines and over-the-counter medicines that you can buy from a pharmacy, supermarket or other shops. Vitamins and minerals can also have side effects, as can any herbal, complementary, alternative or natural medicine.
Even though all medicines can cause side effects, not everyone will get them.
Where to get information on side effects
For information about potential side effects, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Here are some questions you might want ask.
- What are the possible side effects of the medicine?
- How commonly do the side effects happen?
- Does the medicine have any serious side effects, and what’s the risk?
- What can I do to avoid or reduce the risk of side effects?
- Do the side effects get better with time?
- What should I do if I think I’m having a side effect?
You can also get information on side effects from the medicine’s Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet, which is available from your pharmacist for all prescription and some non-prescription medicines. You can also search for CMIs in healthdirect's medicines section.
Thinking about side effects
If you are thinking about starting a new medicine, it is worth thinking about the side effects. How common are they? How serious are they? And what do they mean to you?
This is especially important if you have a serious health condition and the medicines might have serious side effects.
How to get help if you have side effects
If anything worries you after taking your medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak to a registered nurse.
If you think you might be having a serious side effect, see your doctor or hospital immediately.
For life-threatening emergencies, call triple zero (000).
Looking for more medicine information?
healthdirect’s medicines section allows you to search for medicines by brand name or active ingredient. It provides useful information about medicines such as their use, whether they are available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and product recalls.
Last reviewed: March 2018