LOCAL MP TACKLES DEVON PCT OVER WASTED DRUGS
June 26, 2007 9:09 AM
Nick Harvey says: 'I am appalled at the vast quantities of prescription dugs going to waste. Pharmacies are overflowing with returned medicines but they are prevented from re-using them; it just shows that many patients are not getting the most from their prescriptions.'
Dr Kevin Snee, Chief Executive, Devon Primary Care Trust comments: 'We are committed to a hard hitting campaign, currently in the planning stages, which we hope will tackle this difficult problem.'
Nick Harvey also notes: 'GP Surgeries and pharmacies are being urged to donate returned medicines to aid charities such as Intercare, which have very stringent quality control guidelines to ensure appropriateness, quality control and to avoid waste disposal costs.
'While in principle I can see this is a good idea, especially with regard to manufacturers' donations, I envisage that on an individual basis this would have health and safety, administrative and cost implications.
'Intercare does not want medicines sent directly which means the burden would fall on pharmacies and or GP surgeries to supervise collections. Under the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's code of practice returned medicines are not to be reused or exported to developing countries and have to be incinerated.'
Dr Snee explains: 'The reason for this is the uncertainty of how the medicine has been stored, for example in hot conditions which could damage the efficacy of the product, or whether it could have been tampered with by injection.'
Nick Harvey concludes: 'Clearly if wasted medicines cannot be re-used then the problem needs to be tackled as source, GP's must be encouraged not to over subscribe and it must be impressed upon patients that the full treatment must be followed otherwise millions of pounds are simply being wasted.'
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