Federal Agency Support
Federal Agencies Support Medicine Take-Back
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Drug Control Strategy
“Prescription drug take-back programs, along with prescription drug monitoring programs, play an important role in a comprehensive effort to reduce prescription drug abuse.” Gil Kerlikowski, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Testimony to Congress, July 22, 2010
From the Drug Enforcement Administration:
“Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards. - DEA media release. August 19, 2010
From the Environmental Protection Agency
“…EPA encourages the public to take advantage of pharmaceutical take-back programs or household hazardous waste collection programs that accept pharmaceuticals” and “Unused drugs that sit on shelves around the home may present a danger to people as well as ecosystems. Removing unused medications from households can help prevent intentional misuse and unintentional poisonings of children and pets”. http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/faq.html#how; and
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/
0/3107c4ef782947eb852577a50058cc88?OpenDocument
From the Food and Drug Administration:
“Events like the recent National Take-Back Day, as well as ongoing local take-back programs, provide great opportunities to safely and properly dispose of medications. But these programs are not always available to everyone and some do not accept controlled substances. FDA continues to work with Federal agencies and medication manufacturers to develop alternative, safe disposal systems, and applauds the recently passed Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 as a significant step forward in the development of safe and environmentally-friendly drug disposal methods.” - Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs, October 22, 2010 http://ofsubstance.gov/blogs/pushing_back/
archive/2010/10/22/51684.aspx
The Food and Drug Administration lists medicine take-back progams as their first choice for safe dispoal of unused medicines. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/
Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/Ensuring
SafeUseofMedicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm
From the U.S. Attorney General:
“Today, prescription drug abuse is considered the fastest-growing drug problem in the country …Without question, getting old, unused, or expired drugs out of medicine cabinets is critical."
- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Department of Justice, Sept 10, 2010.