Prescription Drug Disposal

Here is an editorial from the Bangor Daily News out of Maine. It addresses the steps that Maine has taken to try to limit drugs from being flushed or thrown out.

In 2004, the Maine Legislature passed a bill creating an unused pharmaceuticals disposal program. In 2007, the University of Maine's Center on Aging received a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a prescription drug mail-back pilot program. Prepaid mailers were made available to the public through pharmacies and medical clinics. Unused drugs were to be put into the mailers, which went to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency where pharmacists tabulated what types of drugs are being discarded. The drugs were then sent to a hazardous waste incinerator.

Painkiller Abuse

In the last 5 years, emergency rooms have seen a 111% increase in visits because of painkiller abuse.

Visits to hospital emergency departments for abuse of pain drugs more than doubled from 2004 to 2008, jumping from 144,644 to 305,885 visits annually, according to a study released last month by the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Environmental Threats

The threats to our environment never end, do they? A settlement was reached between Michigan and Birds Eye Food Inc. related to groundwater contamination because of a plant discharging contaminated water.

Numerous residents in communities where Birds Eye has sprayed say it has caused their wells to produce water that is discolored and foul-smelling, and has elevated levels of potential toxins such as arsenic and iron.

Under the agreement with the state, Birds Eye agreed to install a new $3.8 million wastewater treatment system and spray only during the growing season, the department said. At other times, the wastewater will be discharged to Fennville's municipal treatment works.

Also, the company will complete an investigation of the groundwater contamination and do what is necessary to fix it.

Birds Eye will continue providing bottled water to people whose well water doesn't meet health standards until Fennville completes an extension of its water supply network.

Where is the punishment? How much profit has Birds Eye made from this plant in all these years versus the few dollars they will have to invest to build a treatment system?

Medicare Bust

Federal authorities cracked down on Medicare fraud nationwide today across 5 states. Eleven were arrested in Michigan and 94 were indicted nationwide.

The local health care companies were located in Detroit, Livonia, Southfield and Oak Park.

From the Detroit Free Press:

McQuade and Detroit FBI chief Andrew Arena said economically distressed areas like metro Detroit are hot spots for Medicare fraud, which prompted McQuade to assign more people to prosecute such cases.

From the Detroit News:

"They prey on people desperate for drugs," said Barbara McQuade, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. "Prescription drugs often are the benefit provided. They exchange stats that allow false billing."