Minnesota News: Pharmaceutical Waste

July 7, 2010 3:23 PM

Published in the July 2010 Minnesota Board of Pharmacy Newsletter

The Minnesota Safe Drug Disposal Act, as originally drafted, would have required pharmaceutical manufacturers to establish product stewardship programs to promote the disposal of unwanted prescription drugs in a manner other than sewering them (or even just throwing them in the trash). That portion of the bill was removed, as was a prohibition on the sewering of drugs by long-term care facilities. The final version that was enacted into law clarifies that law enforcement agencies, hazardous waste haulers, and facilities regulated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency can possess pharmaceuticals for the purpose of disposing of them. It also formally allows members of the public to transfer non-controlled legend drugs to these entities. Pharmacists are reminded that they cannot accept pharmaceuticals from patients or long-term care facilities, for the purpose of disposing of them, unless all applicable state and federal laws and rules are followed. This applies to both scheduled and non-scheduled drugs – although the restrictions are greater for scheduled drugs.

A separate law was enacted that requires the Board of Pharmacy to “study prescription drug waste reduction techniques and technologies applicable to long-term care facilities, veterans nursing homes, and correctional facilities.” In conducting the study the Board is to evaluate the extent to which new prescription drug waste reduction techniques and technologies can reduce the amount of prescription drugs that enter the waste stream and also reduce state prescription drug costs. The techniques and technologies studied must include, at a minimum, daily or weekly medication exchanges and automated distribution devices. The Board must provide an estimate of the cost of adopting these and other techniques and technologies, and an estimate of waste reduction and state prescription drug savings that would result from adoption. The study must also evaluate methods of encouraging the adoption of effective drug waste reduction techniques and technologies. The Board must present recommendations on the adoption of new prescription drug waste reduction techniques and technologies to the Legislature by December 15, 2011.