Eglin's Satellite Pharmacy provides medicine disposal unit

  • Published
  • By Ilka Cole
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Eglin's Satellite Pharmacy recently installed a secure medicine collection container where patients can deposit unused medications due to a change in Drug Enforcement Administration regulations.

"It's as simple as bringing the medications over and pouring them into our container," said Lt. Col. John Catoe, Eglin pharmacy flight commander.

In the past, patients who wanted to safely dispose of old and unused medications were turned away.

"By law, the pharmacy could not legally accept dispensed prescriptions. That changed last fall," said Maj. Marcio Fletes, director of outpatient pharmacy operations here. "The MEDSAFE unit definitely meets our patients' needs."

Patients can now deposit all medications, to include creams, liquids, unused medical emergency pens (Epi-pens and insulin pens) in the blue steel bin located in the corner of the lobby by the prescription pick-up window.

The outpatient pharmacy director recommends medicines be deposited without their containers and liquid bottles be 4 ounces or less and sealed in a plastic bag before dropping them into the receptacle.

Pharmacy staff will check the MEDSAFE unit weekly.  Once the container is full, the contents will be shipped to a company licensed by the DEA in the handling of commingled medications for proper disposal according to Fletes.

"The DEA's preferred method of medicine disposal is incineration because it renders the medicine irretrievable," he said.

"Proper disposal may prevent accidental poisonings or accidental use of potentially harmful medications that may still be in the home," said Fletes. "It also prevents unused medications from cycling back into our water systems."

The MEDSAFE unit is accessible during satellite pharmacy hours and pharmacy personnel will be available to offer assistance. Satellite Pharmacy hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, patients can also dispose of unused medications during the next DEA's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day scheduled for Sept. 26.