US could recycle 10 million unused prescription drugs a year, report says

Lenzer, Jeanne

doi:10.1136/bmj.g7677

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…The donation of medications to other countries is disapproved of by the World Health Organization [ 32 ]. The question as to whether medications returned to pharmacies could be redispensed remains hypothetical [ 33 , 34 ], as many prerequisites need to be addressed in order to redispense unused medications, such as how to ascertain the quality of the medications, the patients trust in redispensed medications, and the legal- and financial feasibility [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmacists’ Activities to Reduce Medication Waste: An International Survey

et al. 2018

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Aim: To identify activities that pharmacists undertake to reduce medication waste, and to assess the extent to which these activities are implemented, their importance for waste-reduction and feasibility for broad implementation. Methods: A two-phase survey was conducted among community and hospital pharmacists working in different developed countries. Phase one used an open-ended questionnaire to identify activities undertaken by pharmacists. Answers were thematically analysed to construct a list of medication waste-reducing activities. In phase two, a questionnaire was disseminated among pharmacists from different countries, to assess if these activities are implemented (yes/no), their importance and feasibility (1 to 5 ranking scale). Results: In phase one, 53 pharmacists participated and 14 activities were identified. These were categorized into the pharmaceutical supply chain: prescribing, dispensing (pharmacy/patient-related) and leftover stage. In phase two, 89 pharmacists participated. Most activities were implemented by a minority of pharmacists. Reducing medication amounts in stock was most frequently implemented (dispensing stage pharmacy-related; 86%), followed by collecting unused medications (leftover stage; 77%) and performing a medication review (dispensing stage; 68%). Waste-reducing activities in the dispensing stage activities were both considered most important and feasible (ranked 4). Overall, most activities scored higher on importance than on feasibility. Conclusions: Pharmacists have various opportunities to reduce medication waste throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain, however, not all are broadly implemented. Pharmacists consider waste-reducing activities important, but they are less certain about the feasibility for implementation in practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmacists’ Activities to Reduce Medication Waste: An International Survey

et al. 2018

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“…Many medicines are toxic, and they very easily decompose and release toxins and chemical substances which seriously pollute soil, water systems, and other ecosystems [ 7 , 8 ]. In the United States alone, at least $5 billion worth of unused medicines are thrown away every year [ 9 ], which not only wastes a lot of resources, but also brings serious harm to the environment. In addition, a large number of unused or expired medicines are purchased by illegal medicine dealers and sold at low prices in poorer areas, which brings irreparable harm to our human society.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Consequences Awareness of Public Environment on Medicine Return Behavior: A Moderated Chain Mediation Model

Liu

Lay³

2021

IJERPH

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With global aging trends and prosperity in the medicine market, the number of unused or expired household unused or expired medicines is increasing. Medicines which are discarded improperly result in serious pollution. From the perspective of behavioral science, the main contribution of this paper is the construction of a chain mediation model to analyze the influence mechanism between consequences awareness of the public environment and proper return behavior of unused or expired medicines. The model explores the moderating effect of personal health awareness with through observation of to the mediating effect of personal norms and return intention. Using a sample size of 366 residents from China, the proposed hypotheses are empirically tested. The results show: firstly, the direct effect of residents’ consequences awareness of public environmental awareness on the proper medicine return behavior is not significant; secondly, return intention plays a mediating role in the positive effect of consequences awareness of the public environment on proper return behavior; thirdly, personal norms and return intention play a chain mediating role in the positive impact of consequences awareness of the public environment on proper return behavior; and lastly, personal health awareness moderates the chain mediation path by strengthening the positive effect of return intention on proper return behavior.

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“…4 Many studies state that people generally disposed of medication inappropriately by flushing them down the toilet/sink or discarding them in the garbage, these practices have hazardous consequences to the environment resulting in polluting the water, causing harm to aquatic life and detrimental effects on the soil for agriculture. [5][6][7] It is established fact that most municipal wastewater treatments systems cannot remove drugs from the wastewater. 8 Particularly for Pakistan there are very few water treatment facilities, only 30% of sewerage water is treated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medication Disposal; Household Practices in Karachi, Pakistan. Need for a Medication Take-Back Program

Husain¹,

Farooq²,

Khan³

et al. 2017

TPMJ

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ABSTRACT… Introduction: Due to irresponsible and unsafe methods of drug disposal employed by consumers pharmaceutical waste enters the ecosystem, ultimately having a detrimental effect on both human health and environment. Objectives: The purpose of the study is to measure attitude and practice of local community in Karachi, Pakistan regarding safe disposal of unwanted medicines and assess willingness of participants to take part in a medicationtake-back program. Study Design: A two-phase observational study was conducted using convenience sampling. Period: January to February, 2016. Methodology: In Phase I (n = 200) students enrolled in various health sciences institutions in the study were asked to take part in the survey. In Phase II(n = 300) household consumers were contacted by telephone and social media. Results: Participants (response rate 84.4%) were given a questionnaire to explore their attitudes towards medicine disposal. More than half of the consumers surveyed reported storing unused/expired medications in their homes, and majority threw away unwanted medicine in the garbage. The most common reason was unawareness of expiry date (32.7%). Only 12.32% reported returning medication to a pharmacy for disposal. Majority of the consumers had never received advice about medication disposal by a health care provider but were aware of the possible negative consequences and were willing to participate in national pharmacy take-back programs if implemented by the government. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that effective communication and established protocols will promote appropriate disposal practices. Public services in Pakistan, and especially pharmacies, must play a more proactive role in this regard.

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US could recycle 10 million unused prescription drugs a year, report says

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Pharmacists’ Activities to Reduce Medication Waste: An International Survey

Pharmacists’ Activities to Reduce Medication Waste: An International Survey

The Impact of Consequences Awareness of Public Environment on Medicine Return Behavior: A Moderated Chain Mediation Model

Medication Disposal; Household Practices in Karachi, Pakistan. Need for a Medication Take-Back Program

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