Students Participate in the Safe Disposal of Unused Prescription Drugs

September 23, 2015

On Saturday, September 26, Philadelphia School of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) School of Pharmacy students will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. The American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) chapter at PCOM School of Pharmacy-Georgia Campus will be assisting law enforcement officials from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at three drop-off locations – the Snellville Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office. Community members are encouraged to drop off their unwanted, unneeded or expired prescription medications for safe and proper disposal.

Other community collection locations can be found by going to www.dea.gov. According to the DEA’s official webpage, this site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines left in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. In addition, many people do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing prescription drugs down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

Over the previous nine nationwide Take-Back days from 2010 to 2014, there have been 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs collected, according to the DEA.

About PCOM Georgia

PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit branch campus of the fully accredited Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a multi-program institution of educational excellence founded in 1899. PCOM Georgia offers the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree, the doctor of pharmacy degree, the doctor of physical therapy degree, as well as graduate degrees in biomedical sciences and physician assistant studies. The campus, located in Suwanee, Georgia, is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit www.pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500.