How Formulation & Source of medication, changes patients waste disposal behaviours

All personal level pharmaceutical waste should be returned to Community Pharmacies - this has been part of the Community Pharmacy ‘essential services’ contract since 2004.

This piece of work surveyed hospital patients across 13 sites in England and asked them how they would dispose of waste medication, of different formulations, and originating from different locations.

Key findings

• Both the source of medication and its formulation affected patient waste disposal behaviours.
• Tablets/Capsules, Liquids, Inhalers, and Injections were primarily returned to a Community Pharmacy, but nearly a third of patients reported that they would pour liquid medicines down the sink or toilet. 
• Patches, Drops, and Topical formulations were primarily disposed of via household rubbish. 
• For all formulations, there appeared to be a positive relationship between proper community pharmacy disposal and acuity of the source of medication.