On January 26, AMWA joined a long list of signatories to a letter submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that encourages the agency “to develop clear and consistent guidance to consumers on safe disposal of leftover household medications.” Current FDA recommendations still encourage consumers to flush many unused medications, even as other federal, state and local agencies work aggressively to discontinue the practice altogether in efforts to prevent trace amounts of the medications and their byproducts from contaminating drinking and recreational water sources.
The letter urges the FDA to work closely with the Environmental Protection Agency, Drug Enforcement Agency and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to “create a single disposal guidance that is endorsed by all federal agencies and consistently used on all federal websites and materials.” In addition to the adoption of the “never flush” message, better promotion of alternative disposal options such as community take-back programs and events and manufacturer mail-back programs is strongly encouraged.