Safe disposal of prescription drugs is turning out to be a costly endeavor, and the pharmaceutical industry seems to want no part of it.
Safe disposal of prescription drugs is turning out to be a costly endeavor, and the pharmaceutical industry seems to want no part of it.
The National Take-Back Initiative, a biannual event coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), was launched in September 2010—a venture meant to allow the safe disposal of prescription medications and avoid misuse as well as unwanted environmental effects—a danger associated with flushing these medications into the water streams. Since then, the DEA has been working with the Congress to install more permanent regulations, such as the Safe and Secure Drug Disposal Act of 2010.
But drug disposal costs money, costs that pharmaceutical manufactures do not want to bear. Local governments—such as Alameda County and the city of San Francisco—have taken the initiative to pass ordinance that requires drug manufacturers who have at least 1 prescription medication or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for sale in their city or county, to participate in stewardship programs for safe disposal. According to STAT, Alameda County estimated the annual costs at $330,000, while the trade group PhRMA estimated the costs could cross $1 million.
STAT reports that the industry has now brought lobbying to the local level, after the US Supreme Court overruled their objections. A national trade association that represents manufacturers of OTC medications and dietary supplements, started calling residents of Los Angeles County warning them of a tax hike due to the take-back program. Another approach is forcing the local governments to implement a state-run and funded program for the collection and disposal of hazardous waste.
One such bill (Assembly Bill 45), introduced in the California state assembly, was amended in January this year to reflect the changes. Some of the trade groups have proposed to fund a nonprofit organization at $1 million annually over a 5-year period, to educate consumers in California on appropriate handling and disposal of drugs. This is only if local governments commit to managing and funding the actual disposal.
Meanwhile, As You Sow, a nonprofit, recently sent a letter on behalf of 22 investment firms addressing the CEOs of 10 major pharmaceutical companies, to provide shareholders with a policy statement on the take back program. “We hope you will work with industry peers to develop policies leading to a national drug take back program, and provide primary financial responsibility for the program. We believe it’s time for the industry to manage the end of life portion of the product life cycle in the same manner that it manages design and marketing of its goods and services,” the letter states.
Public Hospitals More Likely to Extend Unprofitable Services After 340B Participation, Study Finds
May 10th 2024Public hospitals were significantly more likely to sustain access to unprofitable services following 340B Drug Pricing Program participation, while nonprofit hospitals were mostly unaffected, according to a recent study.
Read More
Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Listen
Persistence Pays Off With Zanubrutinib: A Challenging CLL Case With a Prior BTK Inhibitor Failure
May 10th 2024The case of a 77-year-old woman with a long chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) history illustrates the novel use of zanubrutinib as a potential option for some patients who have failed first-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and venetoclax.
Read More
CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
Listen