PHH accepting expired medications October 28

With fall’s cooler temperatures, you are probably readying your yard for the coming winter. Why not do a fall cleanout of your medicine cabinet, too, and get rid of expired and unneeded medications?

Parkview Huntington Hospital is ready to help. The hospital will host a collection site for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in a joint effort between Parkview Huntington Hospital Pharmacy, the Indiana Board of Pharmacy and Parkview Police.

“We are happy to be able to provide community residents with a safe, responsible and convenient way to dispose of their medications that are expired or no longer needed,” said Bryan Hall, pharmacy manager, Parkview Huntington Hospital, who is coordinating the event. “Serving as a collection site is a way we can help prevent prescription medications from improper disposal or getting into the wrong hands and being misused or abused. This is part of our commitment to safeguard and promote the health of our community.”

On October 28, a drive-up drop-off point will be located in the Emergency Department (ED) parking lot at the hospital. A tent near the Emergency entrance will mark the drop-off location. Pharmacy staff, Parkview Police officers or representatives of the state pharmacy board will be on hand to collect the medications for later destruction.

What to bring:

Drop off unneeded and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications – in tablet, capsule, gel tab or other solid dosage form. All medications should be in their original bottles or packages, if possible, and all those bottles or packages should be placed inside one container – a bag, box or jug – for ease in handling. Vitamins and supplements will also be accepted. Illegal drugs, drugs in liquid form and needles/sharps will not be accepted.

What not to bring: Tips for proper disposal in residential trash bins.

Liquids

While liquids will NOT be accepted at this event, here are tips for safely disposing of them:

* Add kitty litter, flour or sawdust to the original container.

* Remove labels from prescription bottles or completely obscure all patient information with dark permanent ink.

* Secure all containers with their lids on tightly and put them in a sealed, heavy-duty bag to keep medications from leaking.

* Put the sealed bag in your trash so that it is not visible, to avoid unintended use or accidental contact.

Needles/Sharps

Safely disposing of sharps (used needles or syringes) is especially important. While sharps will NOT be accepted at this event, here are tips for diabetics and others on appropriate disposal measures for sharps:

* Any used sharp should immediately be placed in a sharps disposal container made of puncture-resistant plastic with leak-resistant sides and bottom and a tight, puncture resistant lid.

* A heavy-duty plastic household container, such as a thick-sided laundry detergent bottle, or even a metal coffee can, can be used to contain sharps if an FDA-approved container is not available.

* Once the sharps have been placed in the container, seal the lid firmly in place with duct tape to eliminate any chance that it will come open.

* After the sharps container is completely sealed and secured, place it in your trash can.

Check out the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s website, www.fda.gov, to find more information about safe medication disposal.

Parkview Huntington Hospital is located at 2001 Stults Road in Huntington.