Drugs in sealed, unopened containers may be recycled if they have been returned from a controlled environment such as a long-term care facility. The environmental opportunity relates to reduction, re-use or recycling of the packaging, and appropriate disposal of the unused drugs.

More important then reducing the waste, is identifying and addressing the underlying reason for it. Is the patient non-compliant and if so, why? Pharmacists are in an ideal position to assess and act on the individual patient's reasons for returning medication and to assist in the safe disposal of unwanted drugs. Waste should be prevented wherever possible, through trial prescription programs, dispensing of smaller quantities, and education of patients, referring back to your Doctor. Therefore avoiding the cost of waste.

Pharmacist manages drug distribution by performing, supervising or reviewing the functions of selection, preparation, distribution and storage of drugs to ensure the safety, accuracy, and quality of supplied products.

Benefits of Responsible Environmental Practice

Reviewers noted that there is significant benefit to patients in appropriate recycling and disposal programs. In general, benefits include:

• Decreased medication is available for abuse and accidents
• Reduced potential for environmental damage
• Increased safety associated with improved syringe disposal
• Decreased costs to the system through decreased waste
• Prevention of inadvertent use of expired medication
• Prevention of adverse events which occur when patients take medications prescribed for someone else, or take medications that were discontinued previously
• Community appreciation for providing reliable, responsible disposal of medications in an organized and convenient way
• Self satisfaction for pharmacists.

The role for pharmacists in this area is significant. "if we sell it, we are responsible for collecting and disposing it as well".

• Establishing a program for the return and disposal of unused drugs which includes:
• Encouraging patients to return their drugs to the pharmacy
• Collecting expired, discontinued and unused drugs from patients
• Tabulation and documentation of volume of waste and rationale/causes/sources for waste
• Using this information to support the need for waste reduction programs and attract or maintain this support

For further information Ask our Pharmacist on the telephone or by E-mail