What to do with unused medication?

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resaebiunne

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I have a ton of unused medication lying around. I'm not even talking about expired medication, just medication I have no need for due to dose changes or medication changes. For examples, a few months ago I was changed from Saphris to Latuda (this is an antipsychotic medication so not an epilepsy med). I have roughly 2.5 months of a 3 month supply that I can't use that is just sitting there. Is there anything I can do with it? I know it would be illegal to give it to someone. It seems like such a waste. I wish there were some way I could donate it. With this medication, each tablet comes sealed in an individual bubble, and there are 10 bubbles per tray. Then, on top of that, there are 6 trays per box. So I have 2 completely unopened boxes. Surely something could be done with it considering all the protection it has.

Just seems like such a huge waste to me.
 
It does seem like a waste, but for safety and liability reasons there's no easy way for individuals to donate leftover meds. There are programs that take meds from facilities and insitutions. See: https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/recycling-unused-medicines-to-save-money-and-lives/

Some states (including Florida) have programs for passing on some cancer treatment meds. For other meds, best way to dispose of them is to take them to official take-back/disposal centers. See: http://www.productstewardship.us/page/1035 Whatever you do, don't flush them!
 
resaebiunne said:
I have a ton of unused medication lying around. I'm not even talking about expired medication, just medication I have no need for due to dose changes or medication changes. For examples, a few months ago I was changed from Saphris to Latuda (this is an antipsychotic medication so not an epilepsy med). I have roughly 2.5 months of a 3 month supply that I can't use that is just sitting there. Is there anything I can do with it? I know it would be illegal to give it to someone. It seems like such a waste. I wish there were some way I could donate it. With this medication, each tablet comes sealed in an individual bubble, and there are 10 bubbles per tray. Then, on top of that, there are 6 trays per box. So I have 2 completely unopened boxes. Surely something could be done with it considering all the protection it has.



Just seems like such a huge waste to me.
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Hi, as you i have had a ton of medication changes and with the one i did not use i gave them to the epilepsy foundation as donation they put it to use for some people who can not afford them or something like that ... thats a good way to put them to use as it illigal for you to give it to someone so they do it for you .. hope that helps you ..

God bless

Fercha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
When i have med changes I usually wait a couple of months until my body is used to the meds. Once I know everything is fine then I take it to my local chemist (pharmacy).
 
I also take mine back to the pharmacy to tell them i don't need them any more. Then they can dispose of them properly.
 
Depending on the medication, I usually find a second use for them. If it is a prescription medication I generally return them back to the chemist. If it isn't and I know the various uses for them, I may put the medication to use with any rescue animals I have in care: breaking down a minute quantity of a painkiller and putting it in water to disolve can work on some animals to relieve pain for them if I am out of the proper stuff I use. I even take the expired things such as antiseptic sprays or bandages from my work first aid kit stock and reuse them on animals because they would be binned otherwise.
 
Pharmacies here (in the USA) don't want them back. I saw a cop on TV. He said to mix the unused medicine in with something like cat poop or coffee grounds and just throw it in the trash.
 
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I know certain pharmacies in California will take back meds. (They have a program called "Don't Rush to Flush"). Different states and cities have different rules, so worth checking before tossing meds into the trash. You can call the DEA’s Registration Call Center at 1-800-882-9539 to find a collection receptacle near you.

This year's national prescription drug takeback day is April 28:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/
 
Yeah, I've never heard of pharmacies taking back medications. I've also never heard of unused medications being accepted as donations. I will ask my doctor what to do next time I see him.

Edit: With a quick google search I found this link on my pharmacists website: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm101653.htm . This is a federally sponsored drug take back program which even organizes a national drug collection day.

Also, I called my pharmacist, and he suggested I take the medication to the police or fire department (!). Not sure how comfortable I am with that or what they would do with the medication. If I could find a way to donate the medication, I would rather do that.
 
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resaebiunne said:
Yeah, I've never heard of pharmacies taking back medications. I've also never heard of unused medications being accepted as donations. I will ask my doctor what to do next time I see him.
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It's probably different in each country but here in Australia if you take unused medications to your chemist they'll accept the meds and dispose of them correctly.
 
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I've wondered about this myself. I have boxes and boxes of Keppra here, the pharmacy continued to send them to me despite me discontinuing them. I really wish i could send them to someone in the US who would need them, since i know how much drugs cost there, whereas for me they're free.

The chemists won't take them back as soon as they've been dispensed, so i'm kind of stuck with them right now.
 
Yeah, I've seen them both at my local Wal-Greens and CVS where they have a "drop-off box" for old pills. Of course it could depend on your local stores if they're willing to participate.
 
I saw a cop on TV he said put them in with ca poop or coffee grounds or that kind of thing and just throw them away. But I'm in Phoenix. I suppose every place would be different.
 
I am South of Seattle. In Olympia. At the police station they have the 24 hour Dropbox. For all meds and needles. It's by the door. I go out of my way to do this since I find out that the biggest water pollution in the ocean is pharmaceutical chemicals. So they tell me do not put in toilet or garbage. They found hormones, etc. What happened to my depakote? You evidently just pee out most anyway. But I do what I think I can
 
Goodness, in 25+ years where I have been taking and changing medications, I never knew one could give/donate that which we no longer take. I have always just thrown mine away. Will look in to this next time meds are changed or I no longer take them.
 
I also wish I knew what to do with extra and/or old medications. Sometimes pharmacies have special days when they will take old meds, but there has never been one near me. The locations are mostly in Chicago.
 
I wound up bringing my medications to a local police station where they had a drop box for collecting medications and properly disposing of them. It was as simple as walking in and dropping off the medications in their containers.

It's a shame I had so much wasted medication which I paid a lot of money for, but I could not use it or donate it.
 
itish a shame if they pop packets and dated so many people in poor countries mind you plenty of them in states who would benefit.
in uk I found out to my horror they will be pounded then flushed
 
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