CVS Health To Expand Safe Medication Disposal Program in Massachusetts, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations

BOSTON, Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In its continuing commitment to help build healthier communities, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced the expansion of its safe medication disposal program, giving customers access to safer, easier and more convenient drug disposal options at every CVS Pharmacy location in Massachusetts at no cost.

As part of its expanded efforts, the company announced the completed installation of 56 safe medication disposal kiosks in select CVS Pharmacy locations in communities across the state, adding to the 43 in-store units previously installed and 43 units donated to local law enforcement. To date, 1,700 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide have safe medication disposal and the company has donated more than 990 kiosks to law enforcement. These kiosks have collected more than 1.1 million pounds of unwanted or expired medications, including 57,000 pounds in Massachusetts alone.

CVS Health also announced that, beginning in 2020, all CVS Pharmacy locations that don't currently offer a safe medication disposal kiosk will now offer DisposeRx, a simple solution that enables customers to safely discard their unwanted or expired medications at home. New and existing patients filling prescriptions can request a free DisposeRx packet and opioid safety information brochure when picking up their prescription at any time.

DisposeRx packets, according to the manufacturer, contain proprietary solidifying materials that make safe disposal of unused medication simple. When water and the DisposeRx powder are added to unwanted medications in the prescription vial and shaken, the drugs are rendered unusable, allowing for safe disposal at home.

"When patients leave unused medications – especially opioids – in a medicine cabinet, there is a risk that those medications might be misused or diverted, which is why we have worked to help increase access to and awareness of safe medication disposal options in the communities we serve," said Tom Davis, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Services, CVS Health. "Providing more options for the proper disposal of unused medications in our stores and in the home is just one of the ways we're working to help combat opioid misuse across the country."

CVS Health unveiled its safe medication disposal expansion plans, including a commitment to install an additional 1,000 drug disposal kiosks in select CVS Pharmacy locations across the country and donate up to 400 units to law enforcement in 2020, during an event inside a CVS Pharmacy location in Boston with Senator William Brownsberger, and State Representatives Jon Santiago and Dan Cullinane, and community health organizations. 

"We will only make progress on combating the opioid epidemic through collaboration between the public and private sectors," said Representative Jon Santiago. "Today, our city and state, and CVS are demonstrating a shared commitment to reducing the number of unused prescription opioids and making it easier for residents to dispose of them. This is a true example of how public-private partnership can have an immediate impact."

"We are in the middle of a complex public health crisis that is devastating families in every city and town all over the country," said Jen Tracey, the Director of the Mayor's Office of Recovery Services. "We are happy to see CVS continue to step up their efforts to help us keep drugs off the streets of Boston."

The company's safe medication disposal units will be put to good use on Saturday, October 26, which marks National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, a biannual event hosted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that provides an opportunity for Americans to help prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.  Nearly 100 CVS Pharmacy locations will join other community sites throughout the country in hosting drug take-back events and shining a light on the safe disposal of unwanted medication. 

CVS Health's commitment to helping prevent and address prescription drug misuse also extends to community education and increasing access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone.

The company's Pharmacists Teach program brings CVS pharmacists into schools across the country to talk to students and parents about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. More than 500,000 students and parents across the country have participated in the program.

Additionally, CVS Pharmacy has worked with all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico to increase access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, also known as Narcan. Patients can obtain this potentially life-saving medication, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, without an individual prescription in these states.

To learn more about CVS Health's efforts to combat prescription drug misuse, visit our website. 

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contact:
Ian Stanton, (860) 273-9166
[email protected]

SOURCE CVS Health

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