[Pharmwaste] PhARMA's My Old Meds captures Kentucky (unchallanged?)

Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA) jennifer.volkman at state.mn.us
Tue Nov 1 18:15:08 EDT 2016


Oh hell no.
http://myoldmeds.com/states/minnesota/

From: Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA)
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2016 5:06 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: PhARMA's My Old Meds captures Kentucky (unchallanged?)

Ahhh, same tactics as the previous SMARxT events back in 2014 when they did a big press event, FB page, etc. in MN and several states and didn't invite the people who established and regulated the collection programs. They said the same things--sewer or dispose in trash. I can't get to this website, I hope they took it down. I will check to see if they've established something similar in MN or if it is just a really poor national effort.
http://www.mnsmartdisposal.com/

I still think I'd quietly collect everything and destroy it so no one knows how much money is wasted on prescriptions supported by tax dollars that are never taken or finished.
From: Pharmwaste [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Ed Gottlieb
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2016 9:37 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] PhARMA's My Old Meds captures Kentucky (unchallanged?)

It appears that PhARMA created the My Old Meds education program (mentioned in other postings) to promote trash disposal as the "preferred" disposal method.  In addition to pushing trash disposal, they make community take back seem inconvenient and untrustworthy.

Their websites (now branded for states) use the American Medicine Chest Challenge<http://www.americanmedicinechest.com/> database as the method to find the location of community drop off locations.  This data base does not include many (most? all?) DEA registered Public Controlled Substance Disposal Locations nor does it include all law enforcement locations.  When I asked that they include the nine locations I set-up, they would only do so if I accepted their branding.

The My Old Meds websites mention local take-back events yet fail to list any means of locating them, not event the DEA locator.

What they do is devote half of the description of "community drop off locations" to a warning,
"only seek out programs that are structured to prevent theft or diversion of unused medication and protect patient privacy. This means not returning medications to unlocked or unsupervised drop off locations or boxes, as this may contribute to drug abuse and diversion."
Similarly for, "local take-back events":
"Like stated before, be sure your local take-back event is run by law enforcement and structured to prevent theft or diversion of unused medication and protect patient privacy.

Alternatively, in-home disposal<http://myoldmeds.com/safe-storage-disposal/in-home-disposal> is always the fastest method to securely dispose of your old meds."
The locations and events they are suggesting could be insecure are either run by law enforcement agencies or adhere to strict DEA rules designed to prevent diversion and protect patient privacy.

My Old Meds has now become the state supported educational tool for Kentucky (link to news story below).  I suspect that most, if not all, of the officials present at the kick-off event had no idea of how biased the program they are supporting is.  PhARMA clearly has a good sales pitch and there is still no organized, unbiased, effort to educate state officials about safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals.
"Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson, Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy Executive Director Van Ingram, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Richard Sanders, Kentucky Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Hiram Polk and Kipp Snider, Vice President of State Advocacy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) gathered at the Kentucky State Capitol today for a kick-off event for the My Old Meds Kentucky public education initiative."
http://www.thegleaner.com/story/news/local/uca/news/2016/11/01/my-old-meds-kentucky-kickoff-event-held-state-capitol/92374758/

Do you have any ideas on how to organize/fund an educational effort for state officials across the country?  PhARMA should not be the only voice they hear!

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
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