Pharmacies should dispose of old medicines

Pharmacies should dispose of old medicines

28.03.2011

A petition to the German Bundestag is currently calling for a free receipt of old drugs by pharmacists. Numerous websites and blog call to support the petition. The response is still poor: just 507 people have signed so far. But the topic concerns us all.

Pharmacists should take back medicines
Expired drugs are dangerous. For example, if the medication gets into the hands of children, it can cause serious health risks. A petition to the German Bundestag demands a free return of used drugs. So far, not many people have signed the call, just 507 signatures have come together so far. However, the initiators are hoping for many more signatures, and the petition is officially closed by April 19, 2011. If at least 50,000 signatures come together by then, the Bundestag committee must deal with the subject.

The topic is important, emphasizes the initiator. If the drugs "in the wrong hands or uncontrolled in the environment" threaten far-reaching consequences. Pharmacies, on the other hand, could assess exactly which disposal makes the most sense for the individual expired drug. Without the mandatory withdrawal by pharmacists is to be feared that many people simply dispose of the drugs in the regular household waste.

Pharmaceutical companies should participate in the costs
So that the pharmacies do not have to pay only for the costs, also pharmaceutical manufacturers are to participate, so the demand of the petition. According to Pedantin, financial overburdening of the two sectors is not to be expected, since pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies are still among the "most prosperous" commercial enterprises. In addition, only pharmacies are economically affected by a new regulation, which refuse to dispose of the expired drugs in an "irresponsible manner" to this day.

Uniform withdrawal system of used drugs
The petition builds on an old regulation. Until 2009, there was a uniform system throughout Germany for the take-back of old medicines. Until then, the pharmaceutical manufacturers had to pay for the disposal costs. From summer 2009, however, the "Packaging Ordinance" was changed. According to this regulation, old medicines may be disposed of regularly as household waste. The Federal Association of German Pharmacist Associations had recently negotiated in vain with recycling companies and pharmaceutical companies on a fee-free return system. Since then, only regional solutions exist in Germany. While in many regions veterinary drugs end up in garbage, old drugs are collected from pharmacies in Leipzig and taken to waste disposal companies on behalf of the city administration. The petition calls for a uniform solution for all of Germany.

As a rule, tablets must contain at least 95 percent of the specified amount of active ingredient when they reach the expiry date. By this time, no toxic decomposition products may be produced. How long an industrially manufactured drug is to be preserved must be checked by the pharmaceutical drug manufacturer in clinical trials. After expiry of the expiration date, the active ingredients change. Expired medicines should therefore not be taken after reaching the period of use and disposed of properly. (Sb)

Also read:
Pharmacist lobby & FDP: Together against competition?
Every fifth pharmacy deficient

Image: Benjamin Klack