What do you do with unused medications?

Answer 1

We are not legally allowed to re-dispense the medication once it has left the pharmacy. Depending on the type of medication should discard it as medical waste using procedures specified for medications that will keep them out of the water supply.

Answer 2

It's destroyed for safety reasons. The pharmacy can't be sure that what's in the bottle is what's on the label and that it wasn't tampered with, so they can't reuse it. The main reason for wanting it returned is so that they can make sure it's actually destroyed instead of being flushed (which puts it in the water system) or thrown away (where it might be found and eaten by children or animals, and even if not, it will still wind up in the groundwater).

In a hospital setting, an opened bottle, package, etc. should be disposed of by hospital staff. If already billed to the patient's account, it would likely be disposed of.

Retail pharmacies should not accept the return of medications. (Check State Laws)

Many States have medication disposal drop-off points on certain days that consumers can dispose of old unused meds. Check with your local police dept.

Answer 3

It's destroyed for safety reasons. The pharmacy can't be sure that what's in the bottle is what's on the label and that it wasn't tampered with, so they can't reuse it. The main reason for wanting it returned is so that they can make sure it's actually destroyed instead of being flushed (which puts it in the water system) or thrown away (where it might be found and eaten by children or animals, and even if not, it will still wind up in the groundwater).

Answer 4

In a hospital setting, an opened bottle, package, etc. should be disposed of by hospital staff. If already billed to the patient's account, it would likely be disposed of.

Retail pharmacies should not accept the return of medications. (Check State Laws)

Many States have medication disposal drop-off points on certain days that consumers can dispose of old unused meds. Check with your local police dept.

Answer 5

1.Donate it some charitable agency if the date of expiry is valid.

2.If the date of expiry has crossed then the medicine should be destroyed/buried in any garden.