[Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Gressitt, Stevan Stevan.Gressitt at maine.gov
Wed Mar 24 11:47:17 EDT 2010


Well there is the other possibility that someone collected them for the
"victims in Haiti." ... They just somehow never made it there.... 

 

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://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/

 

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on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, gender, sexual
orientation, age, or national origin, in admission to, access to, or
operations of its programs, services, or activities, or its hiring or
employment practices.  This notice is provided as required by Title II
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and in accordance with
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of
1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Maine Human
Rights Act and Executive Order Regarding State of Maine Contracts for
Services.  Questions, concerns, complaints or requests for additional
information regarding the ADA may be forwarded to DHHS' ADA
Compliance/EEO Coordinators, 11 SHS-221 State Street, Augusta, Maine
04333, 207-287-4289 (V), 207-287-3488 (V), 1-800-606-0215 (TTY).  

 

 

________________________________

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of DeBiasi,
Deborah (DEQ)
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 10:02 AM
To: Sue Dayton; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

 

I checked with our Board of Pharmacy here in Virginia, and was told that
they occasionally run across the same thing here at Flea Markets and
street venders.  They have an enforcement branch that will go and
embargo anything that is expired, adulterated or mislabeled in any way.


 

The question is how are the flea market people and street venders
getting all of these expired drugs.   Is there something that can be
done about it so that the medications aren't available to the public?
Given the mention that some of the packaging has been torn off, I'm
wondering if expired OTC drugs are handled like old magazines and books.
The seller rips off the cover or the part of the package with the UPC
code and sends it to the MFG for credit.  Perhaps some of the pharmacy
people on the list can let us know what the procedure is for handling
these items when they are removed from their shelves.

 

Deborah L. DeBiasi
Email:   Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov (NEW!)
PH:         804-698-4028

________________________________

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Sue
Dayton
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 9:29 AM
To: 'Matthew C. Mireles'; 'Gressitt,Stevan';
pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us; rxnews at listserve.com
Cc: linkfilion at communityofcompetence.com;
easmith at communityofcompetence.com
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

 

I just went to a flea market in SC outside of Columbia. SAME deal. There
was at least 3 troughs (2' x 10 ') holding mountains, piled on top of
each other, of various over-the-counter meds. I was flabbergasted!  

 

Where are they getting these?  

 

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

 

 

 

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
matter.   -  Martin Luther King Jr.

 

 

 

________________________________

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Matthew
C. Mireles
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 2:30 PM
To: Gressitt,Stevan; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us;
rxnews at listserve.com
Cc: linkfilion at communityofcompetence.com;
easmith at communityofcompetence.com
Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

 

We have been receiving very interesting stories about unused and expired
medicines through our new patient safety reporting system called Share
Our Stories (S.O.S.).   One in particular deals with unused and expired
meds (UEMs) showing up at a weekend flea market...  

 

S.O.S. is an anonymous system for patients and families to report
medical adverse experiences as well as give us good suggestions about
patient safety and healthcare outcomes.  However, most of the reports
that we have received involved adverse medication events (drug
interactions) or side effects that presumably caused the patient to
discontinue the meds (non-adherence) and stockpile them at home or work.

 

 

Excerpt from original story:

 

I recently went to a local flea market and found many vendors selling
medicine. They ranged from tylenol, pepcid, zyrtec, prevacid, to
robitussin. Some of the medication, in fact most of it was expired. Some
of the med boxes had certain parts of the box torn off. Some of the
boxes had a statement that " The makers of Pepcid Complete od not
manufacture store brands." I would like to know what the quote means and
would also like to know what pottential risks there are to taking
expired meds. I am a senior nursing major and medicine is a big part of
what 

I recently went to a local flea market and found many vendors selling
medicine. They ranged from tylenol, pepcid, zyrtec, prevacid, to
robitussin. Some of the medication, in fact most of it was expired. Some
of the med boxes had certain parts of the box torn off. Some of the
boxes had a statement that " The makers of Pepcid Complete od not
manufacture store brands." I would like to know what the quote means and
would also like to know what pottential risks there are to taking
expired meds. I am a senior nursing major and medicine is a big part of
what I do. This recent discovery troubles me. Please help. Thank you for
your time.

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew C. Mireles, PhD, MPH

Community Medical Foundation for Patient Safety

 

 

 




 

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: "Gressitt, Stevan" 
	Sent: Mar 21, 2010 6:26 PM 
	To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us, rxnews at listserve.com 
	Subject: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine
disposal 

	I would be interested if anyone runs into any other examples of
this.

	 

	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://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/

	 

	Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any
attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s).  It may
contain confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized
review, copy, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited.  If you
are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this is strictly prohibited.  Please contact
me by reply e-mail or telephone and destroy all copies of this message.

	The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) does not
discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, gender,
sexual orientation, age, or national origin, in admission to, access to,
or operations of its programs, services, or activities, or its hiring or
employment practices.  This notice is provided as required by Title II
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and in accordance with
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of
1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Maine Human
Rights Act and Executive Order Regarding State of Maine Contracts for
Services.  Questions, concerns, complaints or requests for additional
information regarding the ADA may be forwarded to DHHS' ADA
Compliance/EEO Coordinators, 11 SHS-221 State Street, Augusta, Maine
04333, 207-287-4289 (V), 207-287-3488 (V), 1-800-606-0215 (TTY).  

	 

REDBRIDGE: Warning over bogus medicine collections
<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/
5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&ct=ga&cad=7:
1:0&cd=g0eIVl7uMXE&usg=AFQjCNFaI0W-njiVy2MmpHXVITwQa-T3Zg> 
Guardian Series
People with any concerns or questions on the scam or on the disposal of
medicines should speak to their GP or local pharmacist. ... 


See all stories on this topic
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/
news/5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&hl=en>


	
	
	
	-- 
	
	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
	Augusta, ME  04333-0011
	Ph: (207)287-4273
	Fax: (207)287-1022
	Cell Phone: (207) 441-0291
	E-Mail : stevan.gressitt at maine.gov

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