Those unused prescriptions sitting in your medicine cabinet are much more dangerous than you may think. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs are often obtained from family and friends’ home medicine cabinet. Additionally, each year in the United States, approximately 60,000 emergency department visits are made after children under six years of age ingest medication without caregiver oversight.
These situations are more likely to occur when unused medications are not properly disposed of when they are no longer needed. Thanks to the Metro Health Foundation and Metro Health Integrated Network, the Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) for Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, there is now a safe way to get rid of your prescription medication and prevent these types of dangerous situations from happening.
Through a grant from the Metro Health Foundation and funds provided from the CIN, Metro Health has teamed up with SpartanNash and the company’s Family Fare at Metro Health Village (2275 Health Dr., SW in Wyoming) to open an authorized pharmacy take back bin. The receptacle is located inside the Family Fare store, just outside of the pharmacy. The store and the take back bin are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The bin is for Metro Health staff, patients and anyone in the community to utilize. Please take the time to discuss proper disposal of medications with your co-workers and patients, and encourage those you know to utilize this important resource.