JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Many individuals may not know what to do with their expired or unused prescriptions. These prescriptions tend to find an indefinite home in medicine cabinets or worse, end up with someone who they were not prescribed to. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, observed on April 24 this year, aims to educate and provide an avenue for people to safely dispose of their unused or expired prescriptions.
However, the hospitals on Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, aim to provide a remedy year-round by providing drop boxes where people can take their unused or expired prescriptions and dispose of them safely.
The main pharmacy in the Langley Hospital, along with the Satellite Pharmacy provide drop boxes where patients can come in and get rid of their unwanted medication.
“Both the Main and Satellite Pharmacies currently have a secure blue MedSafe disposal box inside the pharmacy lobbies,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Karen Salenga, 633rd Medical Support Squadron pharmacy flight chief. “Patients can dispose of their unwanted, unused or expired medications in these MedSafe boxes during pharmacy hours.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue and can potentially lead to accidental poisoning, misuse and even overdose.
The pharmacy at the McDonald Army Health Center also offers disposal drop boxes to properly get rid of prescriptions.
“Any day we are open, patients can come by and drop off their unused medication and we are happy to dispose of it for them,” said U.S. Army Maj. Travis Whiteside, Fort Eustis MEDDAC chief department of pharmacy. “Our patients appreciate it and this drop box allows us to get medication off the street and out of the hands of the people who no longer need it.”
For more information on how you can safely dispose of unused or expired medication on Langley Air Force Base, contact the Langley Pharmacy at (757) 764-6497 or the Satellite Pharmacy at (757) 764-7799.
For more information on how you can safely dispose of unused or expired medication on Fort Eustis, contact the McDonald Army Health Center main pharmacy at (757) 314-7900.