[Pharmwaste] New Study on Unused Meds

[Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA)]

Good ideas for waste reduction! Points back to the Maine legislation restricting first time scripts for certain commonly unused medications. Also a need for more advertising for existing collection/mail back, etc. programs.
________________________________________
From: Pharmwaste [pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] on behalf of Ed Gottlieb [EGottlieb at cityofithaca.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2016 2:46 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] New Study on Unused Meds

Unused medications and disposal patterns at home:
Findings from a Medicare patient survey and claims data

Objective:

To examine what medications are most frequently left unused by patients, how much is left unused, and how these medications are disposed of among Medicare beneficiaries.

Conclusion:
A lack of patient adherence alone does not explain unused medications and their improper disposal. Community-level interventions designed to improve prescription efficiency and patient awareness of appropriate disposal methods—particularly of controlled substances—are necessary to reduce the potentially harmful effects of improper disposal of unused medications.
http://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191%2815%2900007-2/abstract?rss=yes

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
fax: (607) 273-8433