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
Established in 2005, PCOM Georgia is a private, not-for-profit, accredited institute of higher education dedicated
to the healthcare professions. The Suwanee, Georgia, campus is affiliated with Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine, a premier osteopathic medical school with a storied
history. PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and
physical therapy and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science,
and physician assistant studies. Emphasizing "a whole person approach to care," PCOM
Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service
to the wider community. The campus 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 pcom.edu/georgia or call 678-225-7500.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Myers
Senior Public Relations Manager
Email: BarbaraMy@pcom.edu
Office: 678-225-7532 | Cell:
770-309-0613
Connect with PCOM Georgia