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[Unused drugs returned to pharmacies. II].
Summary
Most household medicines returned to pharmacies are unused and expired. This study analyzed returned drug packaging, finding a significant portion of unused medications, particularly in blister packs, were past their expiration date, representing considerable waste.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Public Health
Context:
- Investigates the issue of unused medications in household settings.
- Analyzes returned pharmaceutical preparations from pharmacies, categorizing them into five sets based on packaging and preparation type.
Purpose:
- To assess the condition and usability of returned drugs.
- To quantify the extent of unused and expired medications within household returns.
Summary:
- Analysis of returned drug sets, particularly Set II (blister packs and strips), revealed that 77.8% were unused.
- Of the unused blister packs, 66.1% were expired, 29.8% were still usable, and 4.1% had undetermined expiration dates.
- The total value of returned drugs was substantial, indicating significant economic waste.
Impact:
- Highlights the problem of medication waste due to improper storage and disposal in households.
- Provides data on the prevalence of expired and unused medications, informing potential interventions for pharmaceutical waste reduction.
- Underscores the economic implications of unused prescription drugs within the healthcare system.