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.

CVS Caremark Editorial

Joseph Harmison, President of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), has an op-ed on The Hill website. In his piece, he praises the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the many states investigating the unfair business practices of CVS Caremark.

In his piece, he names a group of bipartisan Senators and Representatives who have written letters on their constituents, both patients and pharmacists, behalf to the FTC. The Senators and Representatives include:

U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and U.S. Representatives Michael Acuri (D-N.Y.), Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Jo Bonner (R-Ala.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), Robert Latta (R-Ohio), Michael Rogers (R-Ala.), Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.)

Note that this list of Senators and Representatives who have written to the FTC in support of their investigation does not include anyone from the State of Michigan. Contact your Senators and Representatives and remind them of how important it is to ensure fair business practices for everyone, not just the big corporations.

Tell them that you will watch how they act on this and take it into account when you are asked for campaign contributions or your vote.

In their letters, the Congressmen and women argued for,

“the FTC to reopen the CVS Caremark merger investigation and determine if the acquisition poses a threat of reducing competition or whether CVS is engaging in any unfair or deceptive business practices.”

Listed in Mr. Harmison's piece are these familiar problems,

This month, community pharmacists renewed the case against CVS Caremark and presented additional evidence to the enforcement agency. On one occasion, NCPA detailed CVS Caremark tactics that secretly boost the costs to health plans and profitability of its mail order pharmacy. Also brought to the FTC’s attention is how aggressive auditing is used to recoup funds from community pharmacies on minor technicalities.

Prescription Disposal Assistance During Earth Week

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) is working to promote proper prescription drug disposal this Earth Week.

This press release explains some of the details.

Proper prescription drug disposal is a benefit to the environment and community.