Taking back unwanted medications at the 6th Medical Group

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Royce Terry
  • 6th Medical Group Pharmacy flight commander
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  On Sept. 23 and 24 the 6th Medical Group, 6th Security Forces Squadron, and the 6th Air Mobility Wing Drug Demand Reduction office will give the public an opportunity to prevent drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. During this time, Department of Defense ID card holders may bring all their old, expired, unused and unwanted medications for disposal to the MacDill pharmacies. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
On Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. collection points will be set up at the 6th Medical Group's Clinic, PharmaCARE Pharmacy and the Brandon Pharmacy locations. On Sept. 24 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. a collection point will be set up at the 6th Medical Group Clinic. This is the second time that this service has been provided to ID card holders at MacDill AFB. Last April, beneficiaries turned in 128 pounds of medications at four locations around the base.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines -- flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash -- both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The Air Force Medical Service pharmacy community has done a fantastic job delivering the pharmacy benefit to their patient populations. Last year Air Force pharmacies dispensed more than 10.5 million prescriptions to our beneficiaries. Unfortunately, as a result of changing health conditions, drug allergies or adverse drug reactions, our beneficiaries end up with partially used prescriptions filling their medicine cabinets. By getting rid of these items at this event, our homes and community becomes safer and it ensures that medications are properly disposed of to minimize any impact to the environment.
Last year, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an "ultimate user" of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents' controlled substances in certain instances. The Drug Enforcement Agency has started drafting regulations to implement the Act.
Detective Eddie Garcia, 6th SFS chief of intelligence & investigations highlighted that although there will be a police presence at collection sites; there will be no questions asked, however personnel will be available to answer questions or address concerns.