Drug recycling is the idea that health care organizations or consumers with unused drugs can somehow transfer them in a safe and appropriate way to another consumer who needs them. This would happen through a specialized pharmacy organization which would oversee and mediate the process.
It is traditional to expect that consumers get prescription drugs from a pharmacy and that the pharmacy got their drugs from a trusted source. In a drug recycling program, consumers would access drugs through a less regulated supply chain and consequently the quality of the drugs could be lower. Advocates and opponents of drug recycling programs differ in judging the risk of the less regulated supply chain lowering the quality of drugs which reach the consumer.
Various regional governments in the United States offer drug recycling programs. As of 2010 Canada had fewer drug recycling programs than the United States.
Various organizations and governments are experimenting with different ways to manage drug recycling programs. Many drug recycling programs only take drugs from professionals, and never from patients. Drug recycling programs are not designed to be useful for consumers seeking to dispose of drugs. These programs also are not intended to lessen the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Typically they only accept medication which has not expired and which is in unopened packaging. When re-using recycled drugs, they only go to specific pharmacies which are prepared to address the special requirements of participating in a recycling program. Usually, drug returns happen without financial compensation.
SIRUM, an acronym for "Supporting Initiatives to Redistribute Unused Medicine", is a nonprofit organization which advocates for drug recycling.
Video Drug recycling
References
Maps Drug recycling
External links
- Guidance Document: Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities, a 2010 publication from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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