[Pharmwaste] Display of pills at DEA events

[DeBiasi, Deborah (DEQ)]

At sites I checked on in Virginia, we provided Sharpie markers for
people to mark out their identifying information on medications.  Some
did, some didn't.  However, the collected drugs were not displayed to
the public, so it wasn't an issue for us.  As soon as a bag inside the
box was filled up, it was removed, tied and taped with the date and
initials of the DEA agent on site, and put in his trunk for later
transport.

The DEA HQ office issued guidance that the medications were not to be
handled and no questions were to be asked of people dropping them off.
It would have been helpful to have done an inventory of the types and
quantities so we could get a better handle on controlled versus
non-controlled substances, and why meds were turned in - but the
important part is that those meds are no longer a potential hazard.  We
did pass out additional information on environmentally responsible
disposal of home medications and our contact information for questions.


Deborah L. DeBiasi, Virginia DEQ
Office of Water Permit and Compliance Assistance Programs
Email:   Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov
PH:         804-698-4028 


-----Original Message-----
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: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 4:08 PM
To: Ed Gottlieb; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] Display of pills at DEA events

Ed, this should be very interesting but with health laws pertaining to
patients' privacy and confidentiality (such as HIPPA and PSQIA 2005)
would not apply because the DEA is not an official health service
provider.  On the other hand, it would have been most considerate and
prudent to ask participants to black out their names and address or
remove the label. 

We were invited at a press conference in Houston and had a few issues
with the PR.  Clear cylinder and bowls filled with pills look exactly
like perfectly sorted candies.  Even though some 3,400 sites nationwide
participated in the take-back, no data about the reported 151 tons of
returned drugs were collected.  I believe we miss a huge opportunity to
really understand why we have the type (?) and quantity (?) of drugs and
why people are discarding them.  

We are anxious to learn about the next step for the DEA, now with the
newly signed law.

Matthew Mireles




-----Original Message-----
>From: Ed Gottlieb <egottlieb at cityofithaca.org>
>Sent: Oct 13, 2010 11:21 AM
>To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
>Subject: [Pharmwaste] Display of pills at DEA events
>
>There are two photos of collected pills on display at DEA collection
events.  http://www.justice.gov/dea/index.htm 
>The one in NJ is a clear cylinder filled with pills.  The photo from
Seattle Washington is of a fish tank filled mostly with prescription
pill bottles.  Shouldn't the names/address have been blacked out from
those bottles?    
>
>Ed Gottlieb
>Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
>Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
>525 3rd Street
>Ithaca, NY  14850
>Work: (607) 273-8381
>egottlieb at cityofithaca.org 
>
>
>
>
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