[Pharmwaste] Education for pharmacists

Mindy Rasmussen director at azpharmacy.org
Fri Jun 19 14:21:15 EDT 2009


Thank you for your comments Nicole.  I am a pharmacist and CEO of the state
association in Arizona which represents pharmacists in Arizona.  We also
provide ACPE for pharmacist via continuing education and information via our
e-newsletter and journal.  We also have an Rx Waste Disposal Task Force that
is working with the state on this issue.  Educational materials, programs,
how-to's would be great to provide to pharmacists - which could easily be
coordinated through state pharmacy associations across the county like the
Arizona Pharmacy Alliance.  

 

Mindy Rasmussen, R.Ph.

Executive Director/CEO

Arizona Pharmacy Alliance (AzPA)

1845 E. Southern Ave.

Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 838-3385 (office)

(480) 838-3557 (fax)

(480) 221-0204 (NEW CELL #)

 

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Evin Guy
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 11:14 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Education for pharmacists

 

Thank you for brining up the issue of education for pharmacists and health
professionals. The Teleosis Institute, a program of Practice Greenhealth, is
working on doing exactly that. We have a webinar next week on this subject
and plan to offer a series of webinars throughout the year. We're also
working on getting continuing education credits for health professionals.
Please contact me if you have suggestions for topics and
speakers/presenters.

 

Please share this information with pharmacists, health professionals, and
any others interested in learning more about pharmaceuticals in the
environment:

Webinar - June 23, 2009 2:00pm EST 
 <http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/calendar/details/481> An
Introduction to Understanding the Environmental Footprint of Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Ilene Ruhoy, MD, PhD, Director of the Institute for Environmental
Medicine of Touro University-NV will discuss sources of pharmaceutical
exposure in the environment and potential mechanisms by which these
exposures may be mitigated. Dr. Ruhoy will present current obstacles to
appropriate disposal of unused medications and offer international examples
of successful take-back programs. 
For more information visit:
http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/calendar/details/481

 

Evin Guy

Program Manager 

Teleosis Institute |  <http://www.teleosis.org/> www.teleosis.org |
<mailto:evin at teleosis.org> evin at teleosis.org | (510) 558-7285 x104

A Program of Practice Greenhealth

 

 

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Nicole Gattas
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 9:46 AM
To: JenniferVolkman; AllenGilliam; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us;
StevanGressitt
Cc: Alvin Simmons; mirelesmc at earthlink.net
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested


List, 

I'm a pharmacist that developed and coordinated a take back program in 20
chain stores (Schnucks) in St. Louis (MO and IL). We received quite a bit of
press for our program that was supported by a grant from the EPA, and had
many pharmacies calling me to ask how they could set it up.  The
demonstration project is now over, and we are currently in data collection,
so have not published results as of yet. 

 

So I'd like to comment from my perspective as a pharmacist... 

The pharmacists interested in this program genuinely want to do this as a
value added service to assist with patient safety and help with
environmental concerns.  They do not want to take back drugs to
re-distribute them.  (I have only heard of one pharmacist that was doing
something like this with samples from physicians offices, obviously against
the law.) 

 

However, most state pharmacy practice acts do not discuss this, and within
most colleges of pharmacy, we don't teach about pharmaceuticals in the
environment, disposal, hazardous waste regulations, etc... normally within
the curriculum. (I have heard that Midwestern in Chicago offers an
elective.)  Therefore, a pharmacist interested in this area currently has no
easily accessible information on how the process should or must work, and
may rely on information from a reverse distributor. 

 

When chains or pharmacists have asked me, I have recommended they NOT try to
implement a take back program into their pharmacy unless they have a
champion that is willing to get approvals from their board of pharmacy,
state DEA, state EPA, etc and become an expert in the area.  Many of them
thought... I'll just take them back and send them back through my
distributor or incineration company, when we on this list know it is not
that simple. 

 

I guess my main point is: pharmacists (and other health care professionals)
are genuinely concerned about this issue, but grossly undereducated in my
opinion.  We need to address this at different levels including curriculum,
trade journals, and primary literature. While we've recieved press on our
program, no one has published the down and dirty details, etc that go along
with setting up a program like this and help pharmacists realize laws and
regulations that are involved.      

 

Hopefully we will be publishing results from our project soon!  

 

Thanks for reading my 2 cents! 

Nicole Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS 

Nicole M. Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS 
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice 
St. Louis College of Pharmacy 
pager: (314) 253-2294 

voicemail: (314) 446-8555 
cell: (314) 504-1202 
email:  <mailto:nmpeterse at yahoo.com> nmpeterse at yahoo.com



--- On Fri, 6/19/09, Gressitt, Stevan <Stevan.Gressitt at maine.gov> wrote:


From: Gressitt, Stevan <Stevan.Gressitt at maine.gov>
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested
To: "Volkman, Jennifer" <Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us>, "Gilliam, Allen"
<GILLIAM at adeq.state.ar.us>, pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Cc: "Alvin Simmons" <alvsim4317 at gmail.com>, mirelesmc at earthlink.net
Date: Friday, June 19, 2009, 11:17 AM

I just had another conversation yesterday with a pharmacist who who
blithely told me he knew what he was doing with his take back was
probably against the law but "so what I'm doing the right thing." 

It was so "in my ear" that I just decided not to even comment.

There is a very very very long way to go yet.



Stevan Gressitt, M.D., Medical Director
Office of Adult Mental Health Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Marquardt Building, 2nd Floor
11 State House Station
32 Blossom Lane
Augusta, ME  04333-0011
Ph: (207)287-4273
Fax: (207)287-1022
Cell Phone: (207) 441-0291
E-Mail : stevan.gressitt at maine.gov
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=stevan.gressitt@maine.gov> 
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/

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-----Original Message-----
From: Volkman, Jennifer [mailto:Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us>
] 
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 12:04 PM
To: Gilliam, Allen; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.
us> 
Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; mirelesmc at earthlink.net
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net> 
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested

We had a "reputable" reverse distributor here in MN that told a pharmacy
they'd take everything from their household pharm collection and manage
it for free as a value added service.  Well, we know none of those
pharms can be redistributed and a portion of them will be hazardous and
a portion will be controlled substances.  I was disappointed at their
lack of knowledge of the HW and DEA regulations.  The pharmacist is one
I've worked with over the past few years and knew the regulatory issues
and that the deal sounded too good to be true. She called and we
clarified that the reverse distributor could not do that, but other
pharmacists that are pretty comfortable with their RDs might not see a
red flag here.  I think there is plenty of work that needs to be done to
ensure that RDs understand the regulatory issues so they don't end up
getting fined for acting as unpermitted RCRA transporters or facilities.
It is definitely something to go over with those who are doing HH pharm
collection in your states, we don't want this issue to cut us off at the
knees as Allen notes.  

Another RD we looked at was doing the same basic thing--taking all,
sorting and sewering what couldn't be legitimately redistributed.  They
are doing a much better job now with some technical assistance.  I'm not
sure how these entities are licensed, maybe through the state pharmacy
board?  I'm going to check on that to see if we can get them some
guidance because as far as I know we're 0 for 3 with these operations in
MN.

________________________________

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.s
tate.fl.us>  on behalf of Gilliam,
Allen
Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 7:08 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.
us> 
Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; mirelesmc at earthlink.net
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net> 
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested



I've heard this is not uncommon even at some of the pharmacies who are
participating in a customer "take-back" program.  Many more stories like
this come out, the DEA's gonna put a tight plug on the legit programs, I
fear.

-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.s
tate.fl.us> 
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.s
tate.fl.us> ] On Behalf Of Jennifer
Crittenden
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:57 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.
us> 
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested


Owner of Northfield drug disposal service now facing charges

Link:
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/45486592.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUgOa
hccyiUiacyKUnciatkEP7DhUs

The owner of a Northfield company that collects outdated, recalled or
excess pharmaceuticals has been indicted in federal court for allegedly
diverting prescription drugs for sale on the street.

Mark Andrew Goetz, 40, of Prior Lake, was charged Tuesday with illegally
distributing Xanax and OxyContin this year. The transactions, both
during sting operations, involved more than 1,600 tablets, the
indictment alleges.

Goetz owns Pharmaceutical Returns, a reverse distributor of controlled
substances that is authorized by the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) to collect the drugs and return them to the
companies for credit or destroy them at approved incinerators.

According to the indictment:

In January, members of the Metro Gang Strike Task Force learned that
Goetz was redirecting controlled substances to his drug customers just
before or shortly after scheduled destructions. Officers set up a sting
on Jan. 10 at Goetz's home involving 99 tablets of Xanax, an
anti-anxiety drug. A second "controlled purchase" of 1,274 tablets of
OxyContin, a painkiller, and 245 tablets of Xanax was conducted by the
DEA and the task force on May 6 in a south Minneapolis apartment parking
lot.

Goetz was stopped as he was leaving the parking lot; officers seized a
small amount of a controlled substance and a laptop computer.



Jennifer Crittenden, M.S.W.
Research Associate
UMaine Center on Aging
327 Camden Hall
25 Texas Ave.
Bangor, Maine 04401-4324
Telephone: 207-262-7923
Fax: 207-262-7921
E-mail:Jennifer.Crittenden at umit.maine.edu
<http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Jennifer.Crittenden@umit.maine
.edu> 

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