Americans fill about 4.5 billion prescriptions each year, including more than 190 million opioid prescriptions. Many of these drugs expire or are unused. They sit in medicine cabinets, where they could be misused or abused. Two-thirds of Americans say they don't know how to safely get rid of their unused or expired medications, according to one survey.
To provide a safe place for Americans to dispose of their medicines, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host its annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27, 2019. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can take your drugs to one of the DEA's more than 5,500 registered collection sites around the country.
Douglas Throckmorton, MD, deputy director for Regulatory Programs at the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, explains how not disposing of your drugs puts your family at risk, and how to safely get rid of any drugs you don't use.
Why is it so important to properly dispose of unused drugs?
When drugs are not disposed of properly, children, elderly people, and pets can get access to those medicines and the results can be tragic. The second problem is intentional misuse and abuse. People can go through medicine cabinets and take prescription drugs, which they then sell or abuse. You can prevent these two outcomes by disposing of medicines properly.
What special concerns are there in getting rid of opioids?
Opioids are powerful and potentially lethal drugs. They can kill with a single dose in some people. On the FDA’s website, we have a list of drugs that are on our "Flush list." Many of the drugs on that list are opioids. They need to be removed from your home immediately if you're not using them.
How do I know if a drug is an opioid?
The easiest way is to ask a pharmacist. They're trained to get you that kind of information.
Drugs are expensive. If I throw them away, I'll waste money. Shouldn't I keep them in case I need them in the future?
You need to throw out drugs for a few reasons. One, if it is diverted, like an opioid, it can harm someone who gets hold of it who shouldn't be taking it. Two, as time goes on and pills sit in the medicine cabinet in your bathroom, the amount of medicine in the pill starts going down. At some point the medicine stops working or potentially could have something unsafe in it. I understand why it's attractive to hold on to medicines, but by doing that, you could end up with a pill that isn't working or that could make you sick.
What are the safest ways to get rid of unused medicines?
Bring those drugs to a take-back program and have them disposed of properly. If a drug take-back program isn't available in your area, most medicines can be mixed into used coffee grounds, cat litter, and other unattractive things and put into the trash. For the very small number of drugs on our “flush list” we recommend that you flush them down the toilet when they are no longer needed.
What kinds of drugs can I bring?
You can bring in prescription or over-the-counter pills or patches.
Which drugs are not accepted?
Liquids, drugs with needles, and illegal drugs are not accepted.
Is drug take-back confidential?
Yes. It's completely anonymous. Your drugs will be placed into a bag and sealed up, no questions asked. If you're concerned about having your personal information on the bottle, remove the label before you drop off the drugs, or put the pills into a different container.
Where can I take my unused drugs on other days?
Check the DEA's searchable database of drug disposal sites around the country for a drop-off location near you.
What does the DEA do with the drugs it collects?
The drugs are sent to an incinerator and burned up.
How many drugs have been collected since the program started?
Since the program started in 2010, it has collected nearly 11 million pounds of drugs.
What is the Remove the Risk Campaign?
This campaign is part of the work the FDA is doing to address the opioid crisis. The goal is to dispose of unused opioids and get them out of the home. Having them at home can create a serious health risk, especially if teens or children live with or visit you.
Remove the Risk will include public service announcements in doctor's offices and supermarkets, fact sheets, social media graphics, and articles. The campaign will spread the message that just putting medicines into the medicine cabinet and leaving them there could pose a risk.
We want to encourage people to go through their medicine cabinet, to see if there are drugs they don't need anymore. And if they identify unneeded drugs, to get rid of them as soon as they possibly can.
