National Prescription Drug Take Back Day 2020 Postponed

Twice a year, the DEA offers a full day for people to bring any prescription drugs that are expired or unused to be safely disposed of at convenient locations nearby.  The goal of this event is to help people safely discard their prescription medications to a participating pharmacy.

This event is typically held in April and October each year and helps to minimize the waste and potential dangers of expired medications.

Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) the DEA has postponed the April 25th National Drug Take Back Day and will update its website once a new date is announced and is safe to commence. If you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet and still want to dispose of expired or unneeded medications, never fear, you still have options.

If you have prescription drugs that want to dispose of immediately

The DEA offers safe drug disposal drop-offs at select locations year-round, outside of their national drug take-back day. Use the controlled substance public drop off locator to determine which pharmacy near you is accepting prescription medications at this time.

Due to COVID-19, some of these year-round regulations may have changed so please call the pharmacy in advance of a drop-off, to ensure they can take your prescription medication at this time.

Alternative safe ways to dispose of expired or unused prescription medications

It is critical not to flush medications down a toilet or any drain as this can cause environmental damage. If you are unable to safely drop off your prescription medication at a pharmacy nearby, you can still dispose of your medication by following these safety measures below:

• Remove your prescription drugs from original containers.
• Mix medication with a substance such as coffee grounds or cat litter.
• Once mixed, put contents in a disposable container that can be sealed or use a sealable bag.
• Remove any personal information from your prescription bottles, either scratch off the label or use a marker to cover up the personal information.
• After the above steps are completed, take the sealed container/bag and your prescription bottles and place them in the trash on your designated trash pick up day.

Refill expired medications for less with Rx coupons

If your medication is expired and you need to replace it, there a few options to get a new prescription without leaving home. If you have a regular health care provider, give their office a call to try to get a refill over the phone. If you do not have a regular health care provider, there are various telehealth platforms that allow you to chat virtually with a doctor.

Don’t let medication costs be a barrier to keeping your prescriptions up-to-date, particularly if you are on critical prescriptions like Epi-Pens, blood pressure medications and various asthma inhalers. RxSaver™ offers free coupons on over 6,000+ medications.

You can use your RxSaver coupon via phone prior to picking up your prescription or scheduling a prescription medication delivery. Be sure to check directly with your pharmacy to ensure they have drive-thru availability or can offer prescription delivery at this time.

What is National Drug Take-Back Day?

The National Drug Take-Back Day initiative was started back in 2010 as a way for Americans to safely dispose of unused or expired prescription medications, and to curve the risk of prescription drug abuse through unsafe disposable.

The DEA also offers safe ways to make sure your prescription medications are safely secured in your house throughout the year and to keep you and your family safe.