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May 16, 2009
ONDCP encourages consumers to use take-back programs for safe disposal of drugs
The Washington Post (5/5, Stranahan) reports that "leftover pills can seem so small, so easily disposable, that many people routinely flush them down toilets, wash them down sinks or throw them in trash that goes to a landfill."
But, in doing so, these pills "often end up in places where they shouldn't be, like the public water supply."
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) altered "its advisory" this spring, "telling consumers to avoid flushing unless the label or patient information specifies that method of disposal. The new guidelines...encourage consumers to make use of community drug take-back programs" instead. Still, "a major hurdle in any take-back program is what to do with controlled substances."
Federal rules prohibit "a third party" from having legal "possession of such drugs," so "a family member or caregiver cannot return" them "on the patient's behalf." Lawmakers are now aiming to clarify the "chain-of-custody rules" in order "to eliminate obstacles to getting unwanted medication out of circulation."
Related Links:
- "For Old Drugs, New Tricks: Advice Veers Away From Flushing Unused Pills," Susan Q. Stranahan, Washington Post, May 5, 2009.
Posted by admin at May 16, 2009 02:22 PM