Today the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) encourages older New Yorkers and their families to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26. For more than a decade, this biannual event has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired.
For more information on the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
Disposal of unneeded medications is important for older adults who are more likely to have a higher number of drug prescriptions and, therefore, face a greater risk of adverse drug events. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that adverse drug events cause adults 65 years or older to visit emergency departments more than 600,000 times each year – more than twice as often as younger people. According to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, individuals age 50 to 64 on average take 13 prescriptions and individuals 80 and older average take 22 prescriptions.
NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen said, “For the safety of you and those around you, I encourage everyone to participate in the national prescription drug take back day. With overlapping refills, expiration timelines and dosage changes, the risk of an adverse drug event is high, especially for older adults. The solution is simple: get rid of unneeded medications safely and do not flush them down the toilet.”
New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Secure disposal of unwanted and expired drugs is an important component of our ongoing work to prevent addiction and overdoses. These take-back events serve a vital role by giving people a safe and easy way to dispose of prescription drugs, helping to prevent misuse and diversion, and offer New Yorkers a chance to take an active role in community prevention efforts.”
According to the DEA, the majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend. Removing unnecessary medications from the home can help prevent situations involving: not taking medication as intended or dosed; taking someone else’s prescription; and taking the medicine for euphoric effects rather than medicinal purposes.
For information on New York’s drug takeback program, visit https://medtakebacknewyork.org/. New York’s drug takeback program offers disposal drop-off locations and the option to order mail-back supplies. Mail-back packages are free of charge and pre-addressed with prepaid postage. If you cannot get to a drug take-back location or there is none near you, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has information on safely disposing of medications at home which can be viewed here.
In 2022, NYSOFA and OASAS partnered to distribute 100,000 Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal Pouches to aging services providers for distribution and delivery to older adults. Deterra Pouches are designed to destroy unwanted or expired medications safely and permanently, making them unavailable for misuse and accidental ingestion. Read more about this initiative here.
Prescription Drug Take Back Resources
New York Drug Takeback Program
FDA Disposal of Unused Medicine
FDA Drug Disposal: Questions and Answers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips for Safe Storage and Disposal