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The accumulation of outdated drugs can be harmful not only to health but also to nature. However, recent research shows that few Lithuanians know what to do with outdated preparations.
Under no circumstances should obsolete or obsolete drugs be disposed of in a general trash container or drained. Unnecessary and expired medications should be taken to pharmacies.
Never throw it away
Obsolete or obsolete medicines should not be disposed of down the drain or in the trash. By doing so, the active ingredients of the drug reach other organisms, harm them, and thus can enter the human body.
“Not only nature in general is polluted, the soil, the water, respectively, the plants, the animals, the whole chain is appearing. Especially if we talk about antibiotics, more serious drugs, there is a very serious negative effect, “says Gytis Andrulionis, Head of the State Drug Control Service (IECC).
The discarded drug not only affects nature, but also returns to the human body through food, thus increasing the resistance of microorganisms to drugs. This means that the drugs may not work as well.
Medications that are no longer needed or have expired should be taken to pharmacies. From there, the drugs travel to special companies where they are destroyed.
“Pharmacies periodically deliver these drugs to an authorized company and dispose of them. The Ministry of Health buys the service from a company with a special license and collects obsolete and unnecessary drugs from all pharmacies and discards them, ”says G. Andrulionis.
The IWT director cautions that it is not necessary to return medications and wait to be paid for them, as medications are a non-refundable item, so there are strict storage requirements.
“Let’s say the pharmacy sells, after two weeks the customer brings it back. We do not know under what temperature conditions the drug was stored. I cannot be sure that it is effective, that it is good, because you do not know what temperature the clients maintain, the patients.
Most drugs are very sensitive to light, again, if it is kept light, it cannot be accepted and sold to another as a really good product, because this can be less effective or break down ”, comments G. Andrulionis.
According to G. Andrulionis, vitamins and food supplements can be disposed of in general waste containers, since vitamins and food supplements are classified as food products.
The quantities are increasing considerably
According to the IWT director, the amount of drugs being thrown away has increased rapidly recently. This could mean that people are taking a more responsible look at discarded drugs or buying without calculating how many drugs they really need.
“It is obvious that it is too much to buy compared to the amount that people consume. The purchase is necessary, not necessary, part consumed. We have a sign that there is irresponsible use of the drug. If you buy too large quantities, you can use irresponsibly, too large quantities ”, says G. Andrulionis.
The specialist speculates that the purchasing habits of the population may be affected by discounts. People who buy cheaper drugs can stock them more often.
“Very often, even new drugs are bought in larger quantities than necessary. If, for example, you see discounts, you buy and thus you accumulate more at home, you do not consume, you accumulate obsolete drugs at home and then return some to pharmacies, as we speak, or you use obsolete ”, says G. Andrulionis.
Medication is received in kilograms
The most popular pharmacies in the country are said to receive drugs from the population. According to the representatives of the pharmacies, the amount of drugs entering varies from one pharmacy to another.
For example, Amber Pharmacy receives 390 kg per month. discontinued medications, and Norfa Pharmacy receives approximately 140 kg per month. Last year, the entire Eurovaistinė network collected around 7 tons, and a Camelia pharmacy receives around 3 kg per month. taking medicines that are no longer suitable or are no longer needed.
“In some, especially in remote areas of Lithuania, the amount of drugs delivered to pharmacies may be less, for example several hundred grams and so on. In big cities, especially in the big Camelia pharmacies, which are located in supermarkets, the quantity of medicines is usually much higher than in others, ”says Žiedūnė Juškytė, Camelia’s communication project manager.
Looking at the total number of drugs coming in, pharmacies are also concerned that the population is abusing the drugs.
“The amount is really large, it is worrying that it shows that self-treatment is still practiced and the full cycle of the drug is not always consumed, as recommended by the doctor. Sometimes customers bring drugs to pharmacies that are no longer suitable for many years, so pharmacists try to remind us to check the pharmacy at home at least once every six months, ”says Laura Bielskė, communication manager for Eurovaistinė.
Know every fifth
Late last year, BENU Pharmacy began a study that revealed that only one in five residents disposed of the proper medication. While drugs that are no longer fit for use must be taken to a pharmacy, the majority of the country’s population simply throws the drugs in the trash or flushes them down the drain.
Experts say that the shelf life of drugs should be monitored regularly. It is recommended that you check your home medications regularly every 3-4 months to make sure all the medications you have left are still in useable condition.
According to a study by BENU, 7 out of 10 residents check their pharmacies infrequently. 20 percent of the study population do it every six months, half check the pharmacy less than once a year or no longer remember when they last checked.
“12 percent. Study participants admitted to getting sick right away in a rush to buy drugs, although it later turned out that they had those drugs in a home pharmacy. Periodic review of the pharmacy helps prevent such cases.
Without knowing what medicines we have at home, they accumulate, age and, finally, we have to take them to the pharmacy for destruction. This increases the cost of treatment and releases many harmful substances into the environment, ”says Indrė Kolomyjskė, BENR pharmacist.
Taking expired medications can lead to poisoning or other damage to your body.
Discarded drugs can be delivered to any pharmacy in the country. If a pharmacy refuses to accept expired medications, IWT can be notified. According to the head of the service, the last complaint of this type was received in 2019.
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