CVS Health marking National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with several initiatives
WOONSOCKET, R.I. - CVS Health is marking National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, this Saturday April 30, with the announcement that its Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program has donated more than 500 drug collection units to law enforcement partners across the U.S., resulting in the safe disposal of more than 35 metric tons of unwanted medication to date.
"CVS Health is committed to helping the communities we serve address and prevent prescription drug abuse," stated Tom Davis, VP pharmacy professional practices at CVS Pharmacy. "Proper disposal of unwanted prescription medication is critical to prevent abuse and we are proud to mark National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with a number of important initiatives. Taken together, our Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program, our patient resources on CVS.com and our Take Back events are helping us advance CVS Health's purpose of helping people on their path to better health."
In recognition of Take Back day, the company is also:
Hosting more than 150 take back events managed by local law enforcement agencies at CVS Pharmacy locations around the country;
Launching new education resources on CVS.com to help patients use and dispose of prescription medication safely; and
Donating 11 new drug disposal units to the Connecticut State Police through its Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program.
CVS Pharmacy is a long-time supporter of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which was established by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2010 to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means to dispose of prescription drugs, while educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
New results of a poll recently conducted by CVS Health and Morning Consult found 72% of respondents would be interested in a drug take back day in their community. Survey results also illustrated a significant need for this engagement: just 33% of respondents acknowledged the primary way they dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medication is by taking them to a designated disposal location, while more than 50% said they do not dispose of their unused medication at all or do so in a way not recommended by federal guidelines.
In recognition of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, CVS Health is also launching new consumer education resources at http://www.cvs.com/content/prescription-drug-abuse to help patients ensure their medications are used and disposed of properly. These resources will also connect community leaders to CVS Health's youth drug abuse prevention program, Pharmacists Teach, which brings CVS Pharmacists to local high school health classes to educate kids about the dangers of drug abuse. Law enforcement officials can also find online resources about how they can apply for a drug disposal unit through CVS Health's Medication Disposal for Safer Communities program.