Fruth Pharmacy launches medication safety, disposal campaign

Fruth Pharmacy, The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, and DisposeRx are collaborating on bringing a medication safety and disposal campaign to the forefront.

The campaign, taking place through June 30, 2021, will include counseling from Fruth pharmacists on proper medication disposal at 28 locations throughout West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, as well as the distribution of at-home medication disposal packets from DisposeRx. 

Activity sheets and coloring pages, provided by the WV DII, will be available for children; and are designed to help adults talk to their kids about medication safety. In addition, WV DII medication safety ambassador, Rex the Rx, will air LIVE twice—once in April and once in May—via the WV DII website with special guests. This live Don’t Keep Rx Around medication safety program will feature special messages about medication safety for families throughout the tri-state area. Public service announcements will air via local media outlets.

“According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, medicines are the most common poison exposure category in the United States,” explained Susan Bissett, WV DII president “We also know that 9 out of 10 childhood poisonings occur in the home, so getting unused and expired medications out of homes is paramount to preventing both diversion and accidental overdose.”

Created by WV DII president, Susan Bissett and CEO of Murphy Media, Joe Murphy, Rex is a live-action, real-time generated, cartoon avatar designed to help educate young children about the importance of not touching medication without the help of a trusted adult and to never share medications. 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with WV DII and Fruth Pharmacy to educate West Virginians about the importance of medication disposal, as well as provide them with our at home disposal solution,” said William Simpson, president of DisposeRx. “The unintended consequences of unused medications are many—from accidental ingestions to overdoses and suicides, and we are committed to working with community partners to remove those risks.”