<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18882"></HEAD>
<BODY><div><img src="e-mail-servers.com/36f025db28318641bc2257c903340ff2worker.jpg" nosend="1" name="dtri" width="1" height="1"></div><!-- Converted from text/plain format -->
<P><FONT size=2>Stockpiles of expired OTC meds can only be coming from one of
very few places. Disposal facilities or reverse distributors. I'm
not suggesting that the businesses themselves are involved in the diversion, but
as with any business, inventory sometines tends to "leak" at the hands of
employees. If I were you I'd get in touch with the agency tasked with
regulating drugs and cosmetics in your state. In Florida it happens to be
the Department of Health, division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA).
They can track where the meds originated using the lot numbers. Expired is
one thing, but if these medications were recalled for some reason the risk to
the unsuspecting public could be deadly in some cases.<BR><BR>Best
Regards,<BR>Barry<BR><BR>Clean Fuels of Florida, Inc.<BR>D. Barry Fernandez,
President<BR>2635 NE 4th Avenue<BR>Pompano Beach, FL 33064<BR>Tel:
954-791-9588<BR>Fax: 954-791-9366<BR>Cell: 305-216-4941<BR>Toll Free:
800-725-8711<BR>barry@clean-fuels.net <<A
href="mailto:barry@clean-fuels.net">mailto:barry@clean-fuels.net</A>><BR>www.clean-fuels.net
<<A
href="http://www.clean-fuels.net/">http://www.clean-fuels.net/</A>> <BR><BR><BR>________________________________<BR><BR>From:
Sue Dayton [<A
href="mailto:sdayton@swcp.com">mailto:sdayton@swcp.com</A>]<BR>Sent: Wednesday,
March 24, 2010 9:29 AM<BR>To: 'Matthew C. Mireles'; 'Gressitt,Stevan';
pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us; rxnews@listserve.com<BR>Cc:
linkfilion@communityofcompetence.com;
easmith@communityofcompetence.com<BR>Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert
- unused medicine disposal<BR><BR><BR><BR>I just went to a flea market in SC
outside of Columbia. SAME deal. There was at least 3 troughs (2’ x 10 ‘) holding
mountains, piled on top of each other, of various over-the-counter meds. I was
flabbergasted! <BR><BR><BR><BR>Where are they getting
these? <BR><BR><BR><BR>Sue Dayton<BR><BR>Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League<BR><BR>North Carolina Healthy Communities Program<BR><BR>PO BOX
44<BR><BR>Saxapahaw, NC 27340<BR><BR>(336)
525-2003<BR><BR>sdayton@swcp.com<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Our lives begin
to end the day we become silent about things that matter. -
Martin Luther King
Jr.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________<BR><BR>From:
pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us [<A
href="mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us">mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us</A>]
On Behalf Of Matthew C. Mireles<BR>Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 2:30 PM<BR>To:
Gressitt,Stevan; pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us; rxnews@listserve.com<BR>Cc:
linkfilion@communityofcompetence.com;
easmith@communityofcompetence.com<BR>Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert
- unused medicine disposal<BR><BR><BR><BR>We have been receiving very
interesting stories about unused and expired medicines through our new patient
safety reporting system called Share Our Stories (S.O.S.). One in
particular deals with unused and expired meds (UEMs) showing up at a weekend
flea market... <BR><BR><BR><BR>S.O.S. is an anonymous system for patients
and families to report medical adverse experiences as well as give us good
suggestions about patient safety and healthcare outcomes. However, most of
the reports that we have received involved adverse medication events (drug
interactions) or side effects that presumably caused the patient to discontinue
the meds (non-adherence) and stockpile them at home or
work.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Excerpt from original story:<BR><BR><BR><BR>I
recently went to a local flea market and found many vendors selling medicine.
They ranged from tylenol, pepcid, zyrtec, prevacid, to robitussin. Some of the
medication, in fact most of it was expired. Some of the med boxes had certain
parts of the box torn off. Some of the boxes had a statement that " The makers
of Pepcid Complete od not manufacture store brands." I would like to know what
the quote means and would also like to know what pottential risks there are to
taking expired meds. I am a senior nursing major and medicine is a big part of
what<BR><BR>I recently went to a local flea market and found many vendors
selling medicine. They ranged from tylenol, pepcid, zyrtec, prevacid, to
robitussin. Some of the medication, in fact most of it was expired. Some of the
med boxes had certain parts of the box torn off. Some of the boxes had a
statement that " The makers of Pepcid Complete od not manufacture store brands."
I would like to know what the quote means and would also like to know what
pottential risks there are to taking expired meds. I am a senior nursing major
and medicine is a big part of what I do. This recent discovery troubles me.
Please help. Thank you for your
time.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Matthew C. Mireles, PhD,
MPH<BR><BR>Community Medical Foundation for Patient
Safety<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
-----Original Message-----<BR> From:
"Gressitt, Stevan"<BR> Sent: Mar 21,
2010 6:26 PM<BR> To:
pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us,
rxnews@listserve.com<BR> Subject:
[Pharmwaste] FW: Google Alert - unused medicine
disposal<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR><BR>
I would be interested if anyone runs into any other examples of
this.<BR><BR> <BR><BR>
Stevan Gressitt, M.D., Medical
Director<BR><BR> Office of Adult
Mental Health Services<BR><BR>
Department of Health and Human
Services<BR><BR> Marquardt Building,
2nd Floor<BR><BR> 11 State House
Station<BR><BR> 32 Blossom
Lane<BR><BR> Augusta, ME
04333-0011<BR><BR> Ph:
(207)287-4273<BR><BR> Fax:
(207)287-1022<BR><BR> Cell Phone:
(207) 441-0291<BR><BR> E-Mail :
stevan.gressitt@maine.gov<BR><BR> <A
href="http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/">http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/</A><BR><BR> <BR><BR>
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for
the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain confidential and
privileged information. Any unauthorized review, copy, use, disclosure, or
distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please
note that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this is strictly
prohibited. Please contact me by reply e-mail or telephone and destroy all
copies of this message.<BR><BR> The
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) does not discriminate on the
basis of disability, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, or
national origin, in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs,
services, or activities, or its hiring or employment practices. This
notice is provided as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 and in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the
Maine Human Rights Act and Executive Order Regarding State of Maine Contracts
for Services. Questions, concerns, complaints or requests for additional
information regarding the ADA may be forwarded to DHHS’ ADA Compliance/EEO
Coordinators, 11 SHS-221 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04333, 207-287-4289 (V),
207-287-3488 (V), 1-800-606-0215
(TTY). <BR><BR> <BR><BR>
REDBRIDGE: Warning over bogus medicine collections <<A
href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&ct=ga&cad=7:1:0&cd=g0eIVl7uMXE&usg=AFQjCNFaI0W-njiVy2MmpHXVITwQa-T3Zg">http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&ct=ga&cad=7:1:0&cd=g0eIVl7uMXE&usg=AFQjCNFaI0W-njiVy2MmpHXVITwQa-T3Zg</A>><BR>
Guardian Series<BR> People with any
concerns or questions on the scam or on the disposal of medicines should speak
to their GP or local pharmacist.
...<BR><BR> <BR>
See all stories on this topic <<A
href="http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&hl=en">http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/5074038.REDBRIDGE__Warning_over_bogus_medicine_collections/&hl=en</A>> <BR><BR>
<BR><BR> <BR> <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> Augusta,
ME 04333-0011<BR> Ph:
(207)287-4273<BR> Fax:
(207)287-1022<BR> Cell Phone: (207)
441-0291<BR> E-Mail :
stevan.gressitt@maine.gov<BR><BR></FONT></P></BODY></HTML>