Prescription Drug Disposal Project “Dispose My Meds” a Hit, NCPA Says
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Prescription drug costs have risen tremendously in the US since the implementation of Medicare in 1996, accounting for $2 trillion dollars of spending in 2005. As the rising cost of medications continues to be a concern, drug disposal has become an environmental and health issue as well.
In April 2010, the NCPA (National Community Pharmacist Association) in collaboration with Sharp Compliance Inc., launched the “Dispose My Meds” project, a program designed to help community residents throughout the U.S. discard unused and expired medications.
The program also sought to address issues associated with drug disposal, including two key pressing concerns: environmental contamination and drug overdose. The initiative serves to help keep prescription drugs out of the water supply and landfills and limit the potential of overdose and abuse of expired or unused drugs.
What Effect has the Program had on Prescription Drug Disposal?
More than 47 states are currently participating in the program. The NCPA asked patients to complete surveys providing feedback about the program as well as information about the types of medications they were disposing. Satisfaction rates were at 98% and many respondents reported that before hearing about this project, they had had no idea about proper prescription drugs disposal.
56% of medications disposed were expired. Cardiovascular drugs represented the highest category of discarded drugs. 70% discarded containers that contained more than half the amount prescribed, evidence of costly pharmaceutical drug waste.
Log onto Dispose My Meds for information about the national, ongoing prescription drug disposal program.
