Written By: Zemen Habtemariam and Kenneth Dandurand
Edited By: Zemen Habtemariam and Kenneth Dandurand
It’s not uncommon for people taking medications to sometimes find themselves with too many unused, leftover, or expired prescriptions. You don’t plan on taking them, so what do you do?
1. Check the FDA’s “Flush List”: I know your first instinct was to flush your medications down the toilet. Hold on a second! We must be careful about flushing medications, since they can raise environmental concerns. Check out the FDA’s flush list to see what is considered permissible to go down the drain. If it’s on the list, flush away!
2. Place Needles and Syringes in the Detergent: Hear me out. This applies to several types of patients, especially some of our diabetics. Conventionally, one would use what’s called a Sharps container for used needles and syringes. However, that’s not practical or accessible for everyone. A common household tip is to dispose used needles in a container with hard corrugated plastic (i.e., a laundry detergent jug). This is strong enough to resist penetration by needles and safely put in the garbage.
3. Coffee Grounds/Kitty Litter: This is a simple, easy tip, especially if you have young children and/or pets. Disposing medicines with this together in large, sealable zip locks allows you to throw it out without fear of children/pets accidentally ingesting it or for strangers looking through them outside.
4. Specialty Medication Disposal Products: Certain products such as DisposeRx, when mixed with water in a prescription bottle, produce a cross-linking polymer gel that contains the medication with no ability to retrieve it. Please check if your local pharmacy has this or any similar products available.
5. Drug Take-Back Day: This is one of the most recommended options for safely disposing of your medications. Depending on your area, “Drug Take Back Day” is an effort organized with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and local law enforcement. This day is intended to safely obtain medications from people before turning them in either to the DEA (for narcotics) or an appropriate drug repository. Please speak with your local police department to see if you have Drug Take Back Days near you.
6. Drop-off bins at Health Facilities: Many Cities, towns and health facilities have secure drug waste drop-off bins for disposal of medications. These can be located either in town or outside nearby hospitals.
References:
Drug Disposal: FDA’s Flush List for Certain Medicines. Food and Drug Administration. 1 Oct 2020; cited 29 Mar 2022. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-disposal-fdas-flush-list-certain-medicines#FlushList
DOs and DONTs of Proper SHARPS Disposal. Food and Drug Administration. 28 Apr 2021; cited 29 Mar 2022. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safely-using-sharps-needles-and-syringes-home-work-and-travel/dos-and-donts-proper-sharps-disposal
Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know. Food and Drug Administration. 1 Oct 2020; cited 29 Mar 2022. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know
Product and Program. DisposeRxProgram. DisposeRx. Available from: https://disposerx.com/page/5/product-and-program
About the Author
Zemen Habtemariam, PharmD
Pharmacy Practice Fellow for Clinical Pharmacy Associates
Dr. Zemen Habtemariam, PharmD, is a Pharmacy Practice Fellow for Clinical Pharmacy Associates. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from University of Maryland, College Park and received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. He serves as the Pharmacy Practice Research Fellow for Clinical Pharmacy Associates, Inc. He has had broad range of pharmacist experience in community, managed care, and clinical trial settings. He has previously served as the Pharmacist of Record on multiple investigational drug trials. He also assisted in coordinating transitions of care for atypical antipsychotic patients for the Maryland Medicaid Peer Review Program, and conducted comprehensive medication reviews for Spanish-speaking patients for AdhereHealth
Kenneth Dandurand, RPh, MS
Co-Founder and CEO of Clinical Pharmacy Associates, Inc. and Co-Founder and President of MedNovations, Inc. Board Member Asperger/Autism Network
Ken is an ASHP residency trained clinical pharmacist with a BS from Northeastern University and a Master’s from Oregon State University. As an entrepreneur and researcher for 35 years he co-founded Clinical Pharmacy Associates and MedNovations successful leaders in providing direct pharmaceutical care via tele-pharmacy. He is dedicated to improving the delivery of medication therapy management to consumers. To that end, Ken has authored a chapter in the Book “Misadventures in Health Care: Inside Stories” titled “Prescription for Error.”