Recommendations for Opioid Disposal
There is quite a bit of confusion about disposing of prescription medications, often with media headlines mistakenly advising the public that all prescriptions must be disposed of through take-back programs, which often results in unused opioids being left in medicine cabinets since not everyone has easy access to take-back programs.
Drs. Will Becker and Ben Oldfield address the confusion around opioid disposal and suggest options for disposal in this video and in their journal review of the media’s coverage of opioid disposal methods.
A large percentage of prescription opioids aren't taken for the full duration or amount prescribed; and since drug disposal information isn't always clear, pills often stay in medicine cabinets indefinitely, leaving vulnerable populations in the home susceptible to overdoses and other risks should they find them and ingest them. Will Becker, MD, and Ben Oldfield, MD, encourage disposing of leftover prescription opioids to reduce the risks involved with having them in the home.
