[Pharmwaste] Fwd: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Thu Jul 7 13:21:00 EDT 2011

Hi all - interesting discussion.
The following statistic "USPS boasts a 94 percent conviction rate for crimes" is one that I've discussed with local law enforcement who are operating secure drop-off programs for medicines, and who have concerns about the safety and security of mail-back programs.  This conviction rate does not reassure these local cops as their experience is that USPS does not choose to prosecute enough of the mail crimes involving drugs that are reported to them, focusing mostly on "big" cases.  I'm told that local law enforcement may not be able to establish jurisdiction to prosecute if USPSC chooses not to.

I don't doubt the accuracy of these statements from our law enforcement partners, and also don't doubt that USPS is doing what they can to combat mail crimes, but I have not seen any statistics or analysis on this angle of the issue.  Does anyone know more about what USPS's "prosecution rate" is when it comes to diversion of drugs through the mail?

Thanks!
Margaret

Margaret Shield PhD
Policy Liaison
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
130 Nickerson Street, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98109-1658
(w) 206-263-3059
(c) 206-265-9732
(fax) 206-263-3070

Local Governments for Health and the Environment - www.lhwmp.org

Protect Our Kids, Families, and Environment - www.TakeBackYourMeds.org

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Lucy, Burke
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 9:41 AM
To: Grasso, Cheri; 'Jeff Hollar'; 'Stevan Gressitt'; 'pharmwaste'; 'rxnews'
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Fwd: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Jeff,

Here's what our Report to the Legislature Recommendations for Home-Generated Pharmaceutical Collection Programs in California<http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/General/2011008.pdf> said about mailback security:

The following mail-back-related example of potential illegal drug diversion was not part of any official collection program. However, it does indicate the security concerns surrounding such programs even though the USPS boasts a 94 percent conviction rate for crimes that range far afield from stolen mail or forged money orders.53 The USPS investigated multiple reports of prescription medication mailed to veterans from the Veterans Administration that disappeared from a South Sacramento post office.54

53 Sweeney, Paul, "Delivering evidence: not just the mail; The FBI and state attorneys general usually get the credit for ferreting out financial fraud. But there's an elite unit that doesn't get much notice--and they work for the U.S. Postal Service." Financial Executive, December 1, 2006, Available: http://www.allbusiness.com/finance-insurance/3998383-1.html.

54 Warren, George, "Prescription narcotics vanish from Sacramento post office," ABC News Release, April 6, 2010, Available: http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=78845&catid=2.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Prescription Mail Back Pilot Program is intended to provide an estimated 780,000 veterans in Baltimore, Md., Washington, D.C., and West Virginia the opportunity to safely dispose of expired and unused prescriptions and help the environment. The program is being administered by the USPS and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and allows veterans to mail outdated, unwanted medicine to federally-approved facilities where it is safely destroyed. Veterans receive specially designed, postage-paid envelopes and instructions with their prescription fulfillment. Expired and unused pharmaceuticals placed in the special packaging can be dropped in familiar blue USPS collection boxes or at post offices. The envelopes are delivered to facilities regulated and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DEA. Pharmaceuticals from this and other similar mail-back initiatives are destroyed in accordance with EPA and DEA standards, including cataloguing and use of incineration, chemical or thermal processes.17

17 Drug Take-Back Network, Postal Service Expands Prescription Mail Back, April 8, 2010 Accessed on September 15, 2010 http://www.takebacknetwork.com/news_t.php#

Last I heard, Sharps Compliance mailers go straight to the incinerator with a law enforcement witness.  Many program managers would like to be able to use common carriers to cut down on costs but are not allowed at least in California.

Cheri, I hadn't seen your "How Medicine Take-Back Works" site before - very nice.

Mr. Burke Lucy
Integrated Waste Management Specialist
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
1001 I Street, PO Box 4025
Sacramento, CA 95812
Burke.Lucy at CalRecycle.ca.gov
916.341.6592

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Grasso, Cheri
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 9:03 AM
To: 'Jeff Hollar'; 'Stevan Gressitt'; 'pharmwaste'; 'rxnews'
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Fwd: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Jeff, I agree that diversion can also happen with a mailback program.  What we have found in Washington is that following strict protocols prevents diversion - here is more information on how these protocols work:  http://www.takebackyourmeds.org/why/how-medicine-take-back-works

Cheri

Cheri Grasso
Pharmaceuticals Project
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
130 Nickerson Street, Suite 100 | Seattle, WA  98109 | 206-263-3089
Local Governments for Health and the Environment www.lhwmp.org<www.lhwmp.org%20>
Protect our Kids, Families, the Environment  www.takebackyourmeds.org

From: Jeff Hollar [mailto:jhollar at pwaste.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 6:54 AM
To: 'Stevan Gressitt'; 'pharmwaste'; 'rxnews'
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Fwd: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Regarding mailback programs:  What about the potential of theft in transit?  Mailmen, sorters, etc.  What controls in place to 100% eliminate this?  If someone diverts one mail back pouch, will this be caught?  What if someone opens one up and takes 5 pills from a bottle?  What if someone puts the mail back pouch in their mailbox and it gets swiped before the mailman picks it up?  How do the various mailback programs address these diversion issues?

On a related note, I am aware of at least one mailback program that is not permitted to take back DEA controlled substances.  Obviously DEA controls will make it through.  What happens when this mailback program facility receives DEA controls?  How can this even be monitored if the container contents being shipped are not 100% examined?

Regarding disposal:  If these pharmaceuticals came from a non-household entity, the RCRA waste would likely have to be segregated and destroyed in a RCRA incinerator.  What is the typical disposal method used in mailback programs?  WTE Incinerator, RCRA Incinerator, autoclave, landfilled?

I would like to learn more about the issues I raised above.  Can those of you involved with the various mailback programs shed some light on these questions?

Warmest Regards,

Jeff Hollar
President
PharmWaste Technologies, Inc.
4164 NW Urbandale Dr., Ste A
Urbandale, IA 50322
515-276-5302 (general)
515-331-7310 (direct)
515-360-9785 (cell)
www.pwaste.com<http://www.pwaste.com/>

From: Stevan Gressitt [mailto:gressitt at gmail.com]<mailto:[mailto:gressitt at gmail.com]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2011 5:55 PM
To: pharmwaste; rxnews
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Fwd: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal

Mailback would have precluded this problem
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Google Alerts <googlealerts-noreply at google.com<mailto:googlealerts-noreply at google.com>>
Date: Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 5:43 PM
Subject: Google Alert - unused medicine disposal
To: gressitt at gmail.com<mailto:gressitt at gmail.com>
News

1 new result for unused medicine disposal

Accused Yorkville officer takes unpaid leave<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/6358045-418/accused-yorkville-officer-takes-unpaid-leave.html&ct=ga&cad=CAcQARgAIAAoATAAOABA5YrO8ARIAVAAWABiBWVuLVVT&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&usg=AFQjCNHLWhpF3cML2daOKmUAOJ3ZsIiQng>
Chicago Sun-Times
Prosecutors claim that Delaney took prescription medicine for his personal use from the supplies turned in by residents as part of an unused medication disposal program. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in court today. ...
See all stories on this topic ><http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://news.google.com/news/story%3Fncl%3Dhttp://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/6358045-418/accused-yorkville-officer-takes-unpaid-leave.html%26hl%3Den%26geo%3Dus&ct=ga&cad=CAcQARgAIAAoBjAAOABA5YrO8ARIAVAAWABiBWVuLVVT&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&usg=AFQjCNFzJphdvxpixG92roh6mgxa275I4A>

________________________________
Tip: Use quotes ("like this") around a set of words in your query to match them exactly. Learn more<http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861&hl=en&source=alertsmail&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&cad=CAcQARgAQOWKzvAESAE>.

Remove<http://www.google.com/alerts/remove?hl=en&gl=us&source=alertsmail&s=AB2Xq4gFWqYoaePpTBqWBdAM9CT2lCybXFzgJYc&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&cad=CAcQARgAQOWKzvAESAE> this alert.
Create<http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=us&source=alertsmail&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&cad=CAcQARgAQOWKzvAESAE> another alert.
Manage<http://www.google.com/alerts/manage?hl=en&gl=us&source=alertsmail&cd=506Kb9rPxRU&cad=CAcQARgAQOWKzvAESAE> your alerts.

--
Stevan Gressitt, M.D.
Faculty Associate, University of Maine Center on Aging
Academic Member, Athens Institute for Education and Research
Athens, Greece
Founding Director, International Institute for Pharmaceutical 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<mailto:gressitt at gmail.com>
Cell: 207-441-0291
www.benzos.une.edu<http://www.benzos.une.edu/>
www.safemeddisposal.com<http://www.safemeddisposal.com/>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/attachments/20110707/68c99363/attachment-0001.htm