NEW YORK – Many people have half-used creams, expired pills and an eclectic mix of medicines hiding behind the bathroom mirror or in a musty cupboard somewhere. But having the right basics can make it easier to treat symptoms at home.

Before you run out to your local pharmacy, take a quick inventory. “Rather than stocking our medicine cabinet, we should purge it,” said Dr Sarah Nosal, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.