<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>List, </DIV>
<DIV>I'm a pharmacist that developed and coordinated a take back program in 20 chain stores (Schnucks) in St. Louis (MO and IL). We received quite a bit of press for our program that was supported by a grant from the EPA, and had many pharmacies calling me to ask how they could set it up. The demonstration project is now over, and we are currently in data collection, so have not published results as of yet. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So I'd like to comment from my perspective as a pharmacist... </DIV>
<DIV>The pharmacists interested in this program genuinely want to do this as a value added service to assist with patient safety and help with environmental concerns. They do not want to take back drugs to re-distribute them. (I have only heard of one pharmacist that was doing something like this with samples from physicians offices, obviously against the law.) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, most state pharmacy practice acts do not discuss this, and within most colleges of pharmacy, we don't teach about pharmaceuticals in the environment, disposal, hazardous waste regulations, etc... normally within the curriculum. (I have heard that Midwestern in Chicago offers an elective.) Therefore, a pharmacist interested in this area currently has no easily accessible information on how the process should or must work, and may rely on information from a reverse distributor. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When chains or pharmacists have asked me, I have recommended they NOT try to implement a take back program into their pharmacy unless they have a champion that is willing to get approvals from their board of pharmacy, state DEA, state EPA, etc and become an expert in the area. Many of them thought... I'll just take them back and send them back through my distributor or incineration company, when we on this list know it is not that simple. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I guess my main point is: pharmacists (and other health care professionals) are genuinely concerned about this issue, but grossly undereducated in my opinion. We need to address this at different levels including curriculum, trade journals, and primary literature. While we've recieved press on our program, no one has published the down and dirty details, etc that go along with setting up a program like this and help pharmacists realize laws and regulations that are involved. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hopefully we will be publishing results from our project soon! </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for reading my 2 cents! </DIV>
<DIV>Nicole Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS <BR><BR></DIV>
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<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><FONT size=4>Nicole M. Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS <BR></FONT></FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice <BR></FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">St. Louis College of Pharmacy <BR>pager: (314) 253-2294 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">voicemail: (314) 446-8555 <BR>cell: (314) 504-1202 </FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><BR>email: </FONT><A href="mailto:nmpeterse@yahoo.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">nmpeterse@yahoo.com</FONT></A></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><BR><BR>--- On <B>Fri, 6/19/09, Gressitt, Stevan <I><Stevan.Gressitt@maine.gov></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Gressitt, Stevan <Stevan.Gressitt@maine.gov><BR>Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested<BR>To: "Volkman, Jennifer" <Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us>, "Gilliam, Allen" <GILLIAM@adeq.state.ar.us>, pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us<BR>Cc: "Alvin Simmons" <alvsim4317@gmail.com>, mirelesmc@earthlink.net<BR>Date: Friday, June 19, 2009, 11:17 AM<BR><BR>
<DIV class=plainMail>I just had another conversation yesterday with a pharmacist who who<BR>blithely told me he knew what he was doing with his take back was<BR>probably against the law but "so what I'm doing the right thing." <BR><BR>It was so "in my ear" that I just decided not to even comment.<BR><BR>There is a very very very long way to go yet.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Stevan Gressitt, M.D., Medical Director<BR>Office of Adult Mental Health Services<BR>Department of Health and Human Services<BR>Marquardt Building, 2nd Floor<BR>11 State House Station<BR>32 Blossom Lane<BR>Augusta, ME 04333-0011<BR>Ph: (207)287-4273<BR>Fax: (207)287-1022<BR>Cell Phone: (207) 441-0291<BR>E-Mail : <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=stevan.gressitt@maine.gov" ymailto="mailto:stevan.gressitt@maine.gov">stevan.gressitt@maine.gov</A><BR><A href="http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/" target=_blank>http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/</A><BR><BR>Confidentiality Notice: This
e-mail message, including any attachments,<BR>is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain<BR>confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, copy,<BR>use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the<BR>intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution or<BR>copying of this is strictly prohibited. Please contact me by reply<BR>e-mail or telephone and destroy all copies of this message.<BR><BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Volkman, Jennifer [mailto:<A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us" ymailto="mailto:Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us">Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us</A>] <BR>Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 12:04 PM<BR>To: Gilliam, Allen; <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us"
ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A><BR>Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net" ymailto="mailto:mirelesmc@earthlink.net">mirelesmc@earthlink.net</A><BR>Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested<BR><BR>We had a "reputable" reverse distributor here in MN that told a pharmacy<BR>they'd take everything from their household pharm collection and manage<BR>it for free as a value added service. Well, we know none of those<BR>pharms can be redistributed and a portion of them will be hazardous and<BR>a portion will be controlled substances. I was disappointed at their<BR>lack of knowledge of the HW and DEA regulations. The pharmacist is one<BR>I've worked with over the past few years and knew the regulatory issues<BR>and that the deal sounded too good to be true. She called and we<BR>clarified that the reverse
distributor could not do that, but other<BR>pharmacists that are pretty comfortable with their RDs might not see a<BR>red flag here. I think there is plenty of work that needs to be done to<BR>ensure that RDs understand the regulatory issues so they don't end up<BR>getting fined for acting as unpermitted RCRA transporters or facilities.<BR>It is definitely something to go over with those who are doing HH pharm<BR>collection in your states, we don't want this issue to cut us off at the<BR>knees as Allen notes. <BR><BR>Another RD we looked at was doing the same basic thing--taking all,<BR>sorting and sewering what couldn't be legitimately redistributed. They<BR>are doing a much better job now with some technical assistance. I'm not<BR>sure how these entities are licensed, maybe through the state pharmacy<BR>board? I'm going to check on that to see if we can get them some<BR>guidance because as far as I know we're 0 for 3 with
these operations in<BR>MN.<BR><BR>________________________________<BR><BR>From: <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us" ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A> on behalf of Gilliam,<BR>Allen<BR>Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 7:08 AM<BR>To: <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us" ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A><BR>Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net" ymailto="mailto:mirelesmc@earthlink.net">mirelesmc@earthlink.net</A><BR>Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested<BR><BR><BR><BR>I've heard this is not uncommon even at some of the pharmacies who are<BR>participating in a customer "take-back" program. Many more stories like<BR>this come out, the DEA's gonna
put a tight plug on the legit programs, I<BR>fear.<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us" ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A><BR>[mailto:<A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us" ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A>] On Behalf Of Jennifer<BR>Crittenden<BR>Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:57 AM<BR>To: <A href="http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us" ymailto="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A><BR>Subject: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested<BR><BR><BR>Owner of Northfield drug disposal service now facing charges<BR><BR>Link:<BR><A
href="http://www.startribune.com/local/south/45486592.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUgOa" target=_blank>http://www.startribune.com/local/south/45486592.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUgOa</A><BR>hccyiUiacyKUnciatkEP7DhUs<BR><BR>The owner of a Northfield company that collects outdated, recalled or<BR>excess pharmaceuticals has been indicted in federal court for allegedly<BR>diverting prescription drugs for sale on the street.<BR><BR>Mark Andrew Goetz, 40, of Prior Lake, was charged Tuesday with illegally<BR>distributing Xanax and OxyContin this year. The transactions, both<BR>during sting operations, involved more than 1,600 tablets, the<BR>indictment alleges.<BR><BR>Goetz owns Pharmaceutical Returns, a reverse distributor of controlled<BR>substances that is authorized by the federal Drug Enforcement<BR>Administration (DEA) to collect the drugs and return them to the<BR>companies for credit or destroy them at approved incinerators.<BR><BR>According to the
indictment:<BR><BR>In January, members of the Metro Gang Strike Task Force learned that<BR>Goetz was redirecting controlled substances to his drug customers just<BR>before or shortly after scheduled destructions. Officers set up a sting<BR>on Jan. 10 at Goetz's home involving 99 tablets of Xanax, an<BR>anti-anxiety drug. A second "controlled purchase" of 1,274 tablets of<BR>OxyContin, a painkiller, and 245 tablets of Xanax was conducted by the<BR>DEA and the task force on May 6 in a south Minneapolis apartment parking<BR>lot.<BR><BR>Goetz was stopped as he was leaving the parking lot; officers seized a<BR>small amount of a controlled substance and a laptop computer.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Jennifer Crittenden, M.S.W.<BR>Research Associate<BR>UMaine Center on Aging<BR>327 Camden Hall<BR>25 Texas Ave.<BR>Bangor, Maine 04401-4324<BR>Telephone: 207-262-7923<BR>Fax: 207-262-7921<BR>E-mail:<A
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