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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT
size=4>Teleosis Institute Launches SF Bay Area Green Pharmacy
Coalition<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV>
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style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></FONT></I></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">First-ever coalition of hospital, long-term care,
hospice, veterinary, health clinic and pharmacy professionals is formed around
goal of zero pharmaceutical waste <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></B></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
href="http://www.prlog.org/10214784-teleosis-institute-launches-sf-bay-area-green-pharmacy-coalition.html">http://www.prlog.org/10214784-teleosis-institute-launches-sf-bay-area-green-pharmacy-coalition.html</A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 13, 2009 – Berkeley, CA – The
Teleosis Institute is leading the formation of a bold new coalition of
pharmacists, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, nurses, and other health care
providers to achieve zero pharmaceutical waste here in the San Francisco Bay
Area.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Teleosis, a program of
Practice Greenhealth, is working directly with local institutional stakeholders
including hospitals, long-term care facilities, veterinary clinics, hospice
services, health clinics and pharmacies throughout the Bay Area in an effort to
gain control over pharmaceutical waste and disposal.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">“Our initiative is unique in that it catalyzes key
stakeholders—the institutions that handle and dispense pharmaceuticals directly
to patients and consumers—in an effort to broaden the reach of existing
pharmaceutical stewardship,” said Dr. Joel Kreisberg, Senior Director of the
Teleosis Institute. “The San Francisco Bay Area Green Pharmacy Coalition is
essentially a product stewardship program with the goal of including all players
in eliminating the pollution caused by the improper disposal of unused
pharmaceuticals.” <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The SF Bay Area Green Pharmacy Coalition will create safe
and secure methods for collecting and properly disposing of unused drugs, for
consumers as well as patients in healthcare facilities. Medicines that are
flushed down the drain are not removed by the wastewater treatment plants, which
has led to traces of common medications in over 80% of waterways tested in the
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">“The Coalition’s goal of zero pharmaceutical waste
requires both solid waste minimization as well as proper disposal within
institutions,” said Dr. Kreisberg. “This is effectively achieved by engaging all
the primary stakeholder communities in health care, as well as educating
pharmacists, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, nurses, and allied health care
staff to the benefits of a zero waste constraint,” he added.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The San Francisco Bay Area Green Pharmacy Coalition’s
goals are to: <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">•<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Reduce exposures to pharmaceuticals through collaborative action at the
local level. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">•<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Help
communities gain an understanding of all the major sources of exposure to
pharmaceuticals. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">•<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Work
with communities to set priorities for risk reduction activities.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">•<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue
to improve the local environment. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The Coalition depends on the involvement of a multitude
of community members and organizations to support the goal of zero
pharmaceutical waste in our environment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Regional and local governmental agencies, local utility agencies,
environmental and public health agencies, professional associations,
pharmaceutical manufacturers and medical waste transporters are all part of a
complete solution to a potentially very big problem. Dr. Kreisberg says, “If we
don’t start managing the waste stream now, we’ll be facing a much larger
problem, because as the population ages they use more and more
pharmaceuticals.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It’s best we start
by developing healthy institutional systems for dealing with medical waste.”
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>For more information on the SF Bay Area
Green Pharmacy Coalition, visit <A
href="http://www.teleosis.org/gpp-coalition.php">www.teleosis.org/gpp-coalition.php</A><SPAN
class=312053118-13042009> </SPAN>or contact Evin Guy, Program Manager, at
<st1:PersonName w:st="on"><A
href="mailto:evin@teleosis.org">evin@teleosis.org</A></st1:PersonName>.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"># # #<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">About The Teleosis Institute:
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Teleosis Institute is an organization
dedicated to reducing healthcare’s footprint while broadening its ecological
vision. Teleosis believes in a health care system that conserves natural
resources, promotes personal wellness, and begins with precaution. At the
forefront of this sustainable medical system are health providers who take an
active role in greening healthcare through example, education and advocacy. <A
href="http://www.teleosis.org">www.teleosis.org</A><SPAN
class=312053118-13042009> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Teleosis is a program of Practice
Greenhealth. <A
href="http://www.practicegreenhealth.org">www.practicegreenhealth.org</A><SPAN
class=312053118-13042009> </SPAN> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><STRONG>Evin
Guy</STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=1>Program
Manager </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=1>Teleosis
Institute | </FONT><A href="http://www.teleosis.org/"><FONT color=#000080
size=1>www.teleosis.org</FONT></A><FONT size=1> | </FONT><A
href="mailto:evin@teleosis.org"><FONT color=#000080
size=1>evin@teleosis.org</FONT></A><FONT size=1> | (510) 558-7285
x104</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
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