Dispose of Expired, Unused Medications on Drug Take-Back Day
Medicines play an important role in treating many conditions and diseases, but when they’re no longer needed, it’s important to dispose of them properly to avoid harm to others.
To help members of the Duquesne University community properly dispose of expired or unused medicines, a drug take-back event will be held Thursday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the rotunda of the Bayer Learning Center.
Dr. Vincent Giannetti, professor of pharmaceutical administration, is helping coordinate the event. “Getting expired and unused medicine out of the system is important,” he said. “Many times, teenagers who are abusing prescription medications find those drugs in their parents’ medicine cabinets.”
The following will be accepted for proper disposal for free and with no questions asked:
- Unused, expired or recalled prescription or over-the-counter medications
- Labeled or unlabeled medications
- Ointments, creams, lotions or powders
- Inhalers and nebulizer solutions.
The event will not accept:
- Needles, EpiPen injectors, syringes, lancets or any other sharps
- Thermometers, glass or durable medical equipment
- Marijuana or methamphetamine.
Participants should leave medicines in their original containers and mark out personal information.
A voluntary survey will be passed out at the event. “There’s not much research on unused and expired medications,” said Giannetti. “We want to find out what types of drugs people bring and why the drugs weren’t used in the first place. We’re also interested in whether or not people have been counseled on proper disposal by their doctors and pharmacists.”
The drug take-back event is sponsored by the Mylan School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wellness in Motion and the Department of Public Safety.
For more information or questions, contact Giannetti at 412.396.6379.