Case Studies

The Challenge

Most people have traditionally flushed, tossed into the garbage or stored prescription and over-the-counter medications that are expired or no longer needed; none of which is safe. Why is proper disposal of unused medication important?

• Poisoning: Every 15 minutes a child under 4 will overdose on drugs found at home.
• Abuse: Over 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs. 1 in 5 teens report taking prescription medication for non-medical purposes.
• Improper use: Elderly are at risk of taking medications no longer-prescribed old medications can degrade and cause concern if taken.

Studies show that medications flushed or even placed into the garbage can leach into the groundwater and end up in our lakes and streams. Waste water treatment currently cannot remove most medications from water, and the affect of these drugs on the environment, plants, marine life and even humans is being studied with great concern.

• Environmental contamination: 80% of 139 streams tested in 30 states contained trace pharmaceuticals.

In addition to the environmental and poisoning risks, physicians and pharmacists are troubled when patients stop taking their medications. When a patient asks his or her pharmacist how to dispose of unused medications, the pharmacist will often discover that medications are no longer being taken for a number of reasons.

To assist with improved outcomes and future source reduction, interaction with the patient allows the pharmacist to address such issues as:

• Undesirable side effects
• Felt better in a few days
• Got the medications from a family member, but then didn’t need them
• Got the medications overseas and experienced side-effects
• The doctor changed my medications
• The doctor changed my dosage
• Got the medications but never needed them
• Couldn’t get the lid off, so I just gave up
• The pill was too big to swallow
• Family member passed away and I found all these unused drugs

State legislatures, environmental protection agencies, boards of pharmacy, and pharmacy associations are attempting to address the medication disposal dilemma through legislation and other means.

The Solution

Sharps provides disposal solutions for pharmacies throughout the country. Therefore, it is not surprising when a particular state pharmacists association responded positively to the TakeAway Environmental Return System for the proper disposal of home-generated medications. Association members were repeatedly being asked what to do with medications when patients pass away, prescriptions change, or medications expire. Sharps was invited to present to the State Pharmacy Association’s Board.

The unique program was simple. Two 20-Gallon TakeAway Systems, along with initial marketing materials were provided to each participating pharmacy. The systems would provide collection for home-generated medications, excluding controlled drugs.

Sharps presented a business plan that offered a turnkey solution using pharmacies which are strategically located throughout the state.

• Collection, transport and disposal environmental and safety concerns
• Environmental and safety concerns
• Statewide program
• Initial funding coverage
• Turnkey for the pharmacist
• Marketing such as wall charts, bag stuffers, mailers, news print ads, customizable templates, product announcement, fliers, generic press release
• Pictorial instructions for the pharmacies
• Simple reordering
• Pharmacy locator page specific for the pharmacy association website
• Promotion of the program on Facebook and Twitter
• Public events attended by the association to promote and bring awareness to the TakeAway program and the issues of improper disposal
• Promotion on city websites and in newsletters
• No out-of-pocket expense for the pharmacy - the Association funding pays for replacement Takeaway systems

The Result

The program has been very successful in many ways:

• 425 participating pharmacies
• Increased interaction between patient and pharmacist
• Driving foot traffic into the pharmacies...increasing purchase
• Due to the success of the program, the association applied for and received additional funding for replacement systems
• The program has resulted in the removal of over 10 tons of pharmaceuticals from medicine cabinets within the state

Solutions and results in this case study demonstrate the ability for Sharps to customize solutions for a particular organization. Sharps is driven by customer and patient needs resulting in successful, stainable programs.