A new Defense Health Agency program aims to reduce accidental drug overdoses and keep pharmaceuticals out of landfills and groundwater.
The Pentagon launched a permanent drug take-back program this week at military pharmacies, allowing Tricare beneficiaries to return unused medications to the facilities for disposal.
Military hospitals and clinics have participated in annual Drug Take-back days sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration, but the new program offers year-round disposal – the first of its kind for a federal agency, Defense Department officials said on Sept.12.
"It's an opportunity for patients to get [drugs] out of their medicine cabinets, cars, homes or wherever they may have medications stored," said Dr. George Jones, chief of the Defense Health Agency's Pharmacy Operations Division.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70,000 emergency room visits each year are related to accidental medication overdoses by children under age 18.
One of every 151 two-year-olds are treated each year for accidental overdose, according to the CDC.
Leftover medications also contribute to the opioid addiction crisis, according to Jones, and the program could help military beneficiaries clear their medicine cabinets of habit-forming painkillers.
Expired [medications] and drugs that are sitting around could create the chance for misuse," Jones said.
The initiative also could keep medications out of landfills and water supplies.
According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 80 percent of waterways tested in the nation show traces of common medications. Drugs often end up in the water supply when they are dumped into the sewer system or decompose in landfills
Patients can take drugs to their military treatment facility or send them by mail in a special envelope available at some pharmacies, he said.
Powder, creams, pill, capsule prescriptions and liquids under four ounces. will be accepted, as well as pet medications. Materials not eligible for the program include illegal drugs, syringes,needles and aerosol spray cans.
Since 2014, the military health system has collected 60,000 pounds of unused medications through yearly take back days, according to DoD data.
Patricia Kime is a senior writer covering military and veterans health care, medicine and personnel issues.
