Feds and Pharmacists Say ‘Don’t Flush Meds’

[Brandon-K]

Feds and Pharmacists Say ‘Don’t Flush Meds’

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the nation’s pharmacists have launched a campaign to educate the public about the potential negative impact that flushing unused medication down the toilet can have on the nation’s waterways—and especially the sportfish that live there.

The campaign, announced during the American Pharmacists Association annual meeting in Atlanta, will focus on the hazards that prescription medication pose to the environment and, in particular, the nation’s fisheries.

“Medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown straight into the garbage can and do find their way into our nation’s waterways every day,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeastern FWS Regional Director.

Some recent studies indicate that high amounts of certain compounds such as estrogen can cause defects in some fish species.

“Those drugs are present in water that supports many species of fish and other wildlife,” Hamilton said. “We are concerned about reports of fish abnormalities possibly caused by improperly disposed prescription medications.”

The initiative will begin with a pilot program in selected U.S. markets later this year and will expand in 2008.

APhA and FWS point to three steps that can make a difference when destroying unused pills.

* Do not flush unused medications, unless specifically advised to do so.
* When disposing unused medications, crush solid medications or dissolve them in water and mix with kitty litter, sawdust or any material that absorbs the dissolved medication. Place the materials in a sealed plastic bag before placing in the trash.
* Talk to your pharmacist about how to properly dispose your unused medications.

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