News Release

September 13, 2010

Contact: Chris DeFrancesco, 860-679-3914
e-mail: cdefrancesco@uchc.edu

Medication Disposal at UConn Health Center September 25

Free Public Service to Keep Unwanted or Expired Medications Out of Water Supply

FARMINGTON, CONN. – Anyone with expired or otherwise unwanted medications is invited to drop them off at the University of Connecticut Health Center Saturday, September 25.

The Health Center is holding a free drive-thru medication collection and disposal program at the Medical Arts and Research Building (MARB) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"Properly disposing of medications that are expired or no longer of use is a matter of public safety and environmental responsibility," says organizer John Dobbins, a UConn Health Center pharmacist. "Collections like this ensure that these medications don’t end up in the water supply or in the hands of anyone other than their original intended user. Dropping off your old meds is quick and easy and you don’t even have to get out of your car."

September 25 also is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, a coordinated effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement, public health and community officials to remove potentially dangerous prescription drugs from the community.

All medications should be in their original bottle, packaging, or container, with any personal information on the label crossed out with a permanent marker, including expired, no longer used, or otherwise unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Other items include ointments, inhalers, vitamins, veterinary medicines, and medications from deceased family members. Unknown tablets or capsules also will be accepted. Some federal guidelines for proper disposal of prescription medications are available at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf.

Needles, medical waste or thermometers will not be accepted.

To get to the MARB: Entering the campus from Route 4, turn left at the first stop sign. The MARB is the second building on the right. Directions to the UConn Health Center are available at http://www.uchc.edu/directions/home.html.

UConn Health includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Home to Bioscience Connecticut, UConn Health pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about UConn Health is available at www.uchc.edu.

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