§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of the total value of medicines that are prescribed but remain unused by the patient during a course of treatment;
(2) what research has been done by her Department regarding the proportion of prescribed medicines which remain unused by the patient during a course of treatment.
§ Dr. MawhinneyAs I have already made clear, the Department is in the process of developing a study to examine the proportion, and therefore the value, of prescribed medicines which remain unused by patients during courses of treatment. Details will be announced shortly.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines exist for the disposal of prescribed medicines that are not used or rendered unusable during a course of treatment.
§ Dr. MawhinneyFor several years, members of the public have been encouraged to return unwanted medicines to community pharmacies for disposal, rather than adding them to household waste or the sewer system. Local disposal of unwanted medicines and poison—("DUMP"—campaigns have periodically raised the profile of this 361W method of disposal, and since 1992 the regular collection and disposal of unwanted medicines through community pharmacies has been funded centrally, since these schemes reduce not only the risk of accidental poisoning but also of environmental damage associated with disposal to sewers.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has issued guidance to the profession on ensuring the correct disposal of waste medicines, recommending incineration for most medicines except where manufacturers advice differs. Waste prescription medicines are special waste and subject to the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980.