[Pharmwaste] Invitation to participate in International assn. for Drug Waste Prevention and Disposal and Medicine Safety

[Stevan Gressitt]

*International Association of Drug Waste Prevention, Disposal, and Medicine
Safety Organizations *



The charter meeting of an *International Association of Drug Waste
Prevention, Disposal, and Medicine Safety Organizations *

is proposed for Sunday October 10, 2010, 5:30 PM EST during the 2010
International Symposium on Safe Medicine in Portland, Maine.



The safe disposal of unused and unwanted medication has become a significant
issue at this time. Prescription medications have quickly become the drug of
choice for abuse in this and many other countries around the world.  They
remain available in nearly every household, and there remains a widespread
myth that prescription medications are safe to consume for recreational
purposes.  The environmental impact is just starting to become known, as
researchers study the trace amounts in drinking water from sewage and
landfill runoff.



There are many diverse parties involved in the efforts to collect and
dispose of these unwanted medications legally and safely.  These include, in
the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA,) Food and Drug
Administration (FDA,) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,) wastewater
treatment plants, landfill managers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and a
wide variety of health care professionals.  Currently, these groups are not
working together in a systematic or organized fashion and are working under
conflicting mandates.



A group is forming with the intent of bringing all parties together in order
to find solutions.   A few concerned medical professionals, academics, law
enforcement, and citizens created a project in the State of Maine to collect
unwanted medications from its elderly residents.  The initial project was
funded by the EPA, and subsequently by the State of Maine.  Given the
widespread benefits of such a program it has been expanded such that all
citizens in Maine can now participate. It is from this group that interest
in forming an inclusive association evolved.



It has been known for some time that there have been many small take-back
programs operating throughout the country with little guidance or oversight
by appropriate authorities.  Without involvement by law and or drug
enforcement (e.g., DEA), many programs were inadvertently operating without
legal sanction.  Currently, it is difficult to gain approval for take-back
programs due to a wide variety of state laws and regulations that each
program has to abide by within their jurisdictions.  Federal law is explicit
and relatively restrictive on what a take-back program can do.  Efforts are
needed to coordinate the efforts by the multiple parties involved in order
to achieve a prompt and effective response to this growing problem.



Other countries throughout the world have become concerned about the
environmental and abuse problems as well.   There are likely lessons to be
learned from those countries that have addressed this issue, and new
possibilities for addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic world
wide.



Thus, the formation of an international organization that brings together
the knowledge, skills, authority and expertise of the diverse population of
interested parties is being proposed.  The primary function of the
organization will be to gather best practice information, assist in policy
and rule-making on worldwide, national and local levels in order to
facilitate the collection and safe destruction of unused and unwanted
medications, and disseminate its findings to those who can make a difference
.  Most importantly, such an association will work to bring all the parties
together and working constructively and collaboratively towards solving the
problem of unused medications in our environment and society.  Such an
association will also assist with the prevention of the waste in the first
place through improving adherence and best prescribing practices.



Towards the end of last year’s International Symposium on Pharmaceuticals in
the Home and Environment (now called the International Symposium on Safe
Medicine) a number of people began drafting a statement addressing drug
disposal. There was inadequate time to work through editing and reaching
consensus. That draft document is attached below in an effort to give all
attendees adequate advance information. Please review this statement prior
to the conference as it will be referred to in our on-site discussions.



*THE MAINE DECLARATION* as proposed on October 20, 2009 at the International
Symposium on Pharmaceuticals in the Home and Environment in the City of
Northport, Maine is as follows:



To encourage a decrease in the amount of drugs wasted and a reduction in the
costs of dispensing and related healthcare costs, adverse drug events,
inappropriate international drug donations, and the disposal of unused
prescription drugs, and in support of the Athens Declaration of August 3rd,
2007, we, a diverse group of stakeholders, support the following five
measures:

1. Limited first-time prescriptions on selected drugs based on returns data
as initiated by the State of Maine.



2. Opposition to financial penalties for consumers on these initial
prescriptions.



3. Involvement of third party payers in the drug waste reduction process.



4. Evaluation of all aspects of refill systems used by mail-order pharmacies
to reduce waste.



5. Participation of manufacturers, distributors, prescribers, hospitals,
clinics, and pharmacies to assist with foremost improving adherence and
concordance and improving patient outcomes and the reduction of medicationwaste.



We call upon governments, NGO's, private insurers, and citizens to improve
and refine dispensing policies and procedures to reduce medication waste.



We call upon patients to recognize the need for medicine to be taken as
intended if it is to be effective.



We call upon others to endorse these principles with us for the betterment
of the health of the environment and citizens in the United States and
internationally.



*Questions regarding this particular session can be sent to the conference
organizers or to: *

Stevan Gressitt, M.D.
Faculty Associate, University of Maine Center on Aging
Founding Director, Maine Institute for Medicine Safety
University of New England, College of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine
716 Stevens Avenue
Portland, Maine 04103
*gressitt at gmail.com*
Cell: 207-441-0291

*www.benzos.une.edu*

*www.safemeddisposal.com*


-- 
Stevan Gressitt, M.D.
Faculty Associate, University of Maine Center on Aging
Academic Member, Athens Institute for Education and Research
Athens, Greece
Founding Director, Maine Institute for Medicine Safety
University of New England, College of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine
716 Stevens Avenue
Portland, Maine 04103
gressitt at gmail.com
Cell: 207-441-0291
www.benzos.une.edu
www.safemeddisposal.com/
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