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Over 440 pharmacies
across Iowa are participating in the TakeAway program!
Read this web page for more information!
FIND A TAKEAWAY PHARMACY near
you - click here to search by zipcode
Find a Solid Waste Agency in
Iowa –
click here
Purpose of TakeAway
Medication disposal practices commonly used today compromise the integrity of water
supplies. Unused and expired drugs pile up in home medicine cabinets, which increase
the likelihood for teenagers, elderly, pets, or others to misuse or abuse them.
The TakeAway program aims to reverse these trends by providing the public
with a safe, easy way to properly dispose of unwanted and expired medications. TakeAway
uses community pharmacies across the state as take-back sites.
How TakeAway Works
Bring unwanted and expired medicines into a participating TakeAway pharmacy.
The pharmacist will dispose of the returned medications into a TakeAway system,
a waste bin specially designed to safely store discarded pharmaceutical products
along with their packaging.
Once filled, the TakeAway system is sealed and shipped to a medication disposal
facility where the entire TakeAway system and its contents are incinerated.
This ensures unused and expired pharmaceuticals do not enter water supplies. In
addition, the incineration facility used by the TakeAway program employs
a waste-to-energy incineration process—meaning the energy produced by incineration
is harnessed into electricity.
Some participating pharmacies also sell TakeAway envelopes, pre-addressed,
pre-postage paid large envelopes that can be taken into the home, filled with unused
and expired medicine, and mailed through the United States Postal Service to the
disposal facility.
TakeAway Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ for patients and consumers - click
here.
FAQ for pharmacists - click
here.
TakeAway History - Iowa
Legislation passed in Iowa during 2009 called for the creation of an Iowa community
pharmacy-based “pharmaceutical collection and disposal pilot program.” The Iowa
Department of Natural Resources awarded grant funds to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy
who worked closely with the Iowa Pharmacy Association to offer the TakeAway
pilot program. State funding was also approved by the
legislature in 2010. The Iowa Pharmacy Association continues
to work with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to administer the TakeAway
program.
Where to dispose of controlled substances
- local medication disposal initiatives with Law Enforcement
Ongoing:
The Des Moines Police Department is accepting controlled substances,
along with other medications, for disposal. Community members of the Des
Moines metro may make an appointment with them by calling 515-237-1565.
They are available Monday through Friday from 8am-4pm.
Click
here to see a brochure on the program.
The 6th
National Drug Take Back Program sponsored by the DEA will be held
Saturday, April 27th, 2013, 10 am - 2 pm. Click
here
for more information.
Update on Federal Rules
The Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 was signed into law
by President Obama on October 12, 2010. The DEA is further drafting
regulations to permit disposal of controlled substances by persons not
registered with the DEA. The administration is holding a public input
meeting on January 19 and 20, 2011 for stakeholders to share input
regarding “the most safe and effective method of disposal of controlled
substances consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and the Secure
and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010”. Following the public
meeting, the DEA will post final rules and regulations for the
implementation of the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010.
IPA
is monitoring this progress and has worked with the National Community
Pharmacists Association to provide input to the DEA on the success of
the TakeAway program.
Click
here for an overview of controlled drug disposal and the Controlled
Substance Act of 1970.
TakeAway Partners
Contact IPA
To contact IPA staff regarding the TakeAway program, email
ipa@iarx.org
If you are a student pharmacist with interest in
the TakeAway intern position, click
here for more information or contact
Anthony Pudlo.
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