EAMC Announces Program for Leftover Household Medications

East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) announced today it has established a convenient medication takeback program for easy disposal of leftover, unused and out-of-date prescription and over-the-counter medications.

In an effort to help reduce the risk of drugs in the home that can potentially harm children, teens or adults, EAMC has set up a secure, safe drop-off location in its Main Lobby at 2000 Pepperell Parkway in Opelika and at EAMC-Lanier at 4800 48^th Street in Valley.

Unused medications are a source of drug abuse in millions of homes, with the opioid crisis in the United States fueled in part by that availability. More than 70 percent of young people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or family, including raiding the family medicine cabinet. Overall, 22,000 people die each year from misuse of prescription drugs.

“We want to provide the folks in our community with the safe, secure opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and make their homes and communities safer,” said Chuck Beams, director of Pharmacy Services at EAMC. “All they do is come to the Main Lobby and look for the big green receptacle; ours is located across from our gift shop. Drugs can be dropped off with no questions asked.”

Beams said there are some things that can’t be taken in the receptacle, such as inhalers and needles. EAMC partnered with Inmar to manage this drug takeback program. The company has a long history as the industry leader in handling prescription and over-the-counter drug returns safely, securely and discreetly for major and regional chain drug stores as well as independent pharmacies and hospitals across the U.S.