Cardinal Health Foundation develops new guidelines for medication disposal days

DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health announced that the Cardinal Health Foundation has developed new guidelines that are designed to help pharmacists and healthcare professionals understand the steps involved in hosting medication disposal days.

The new guidelines, which can be found at CardinalHealth.com/GenerationRx, include information on how to contact local partners, obtain necessary permits and drive participation in medication disposal days. They also include tips on optimal timing and locations for these events, a list of needed supplies, and follow-up steps for how to share the results.

Cardinal Health — in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency, local law enforcement, community partners and a large central Ohio health system — has cosponsored several medication take-back events near its headquarters in central Ohio. Combined, these medication disposal days successfully have collected and destroyed nearly 4,000 lbs. of unused and expired medications, Cardinal Health Foundation said.

Prescription drug abuse is the second leading cause of accidental death in the United States and the leading cause of accidental death in 16 states, plus the District of Columbia, Cardinal Health said.

“We’ve received a great response to our medication disposal days, and many of our retail pharmacy customers, in particular, have long been interested in tools that can help them understand how to host these sometimes complex events in their own communities,” Cardinal Health SVP retail independent sales Steve Lawrence said. “We hope our new guidelines will encourage more pharmacists and health care providers to work with the DEA and local law enforcement to provide their communities with safe ways to dispose of medications.”