PLEASE NOTE: THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE DEBATED AT THE 2015 COUNCIL MEETING. RESOLUTIONS ARE NOT
OFFICIAL UNTIL ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (AS APPLICABLE).
RESOLUTION:
29(15)
SUBMITTED BY:
Larry Bedard, MD, FACEP
Dan Morhaim, MD, FACEP
SUBJECT:
Support for Drug “Take-Back” Programs
PURPOSE: Support requirements that pharmaceutical companies coordinate with hospitals to pay for drug takeback programs, endorse and support local, state, and national laws requiring drug take-back programs, submit a
resolution to the AMA supporting drug take-back programs.
FISCAL IMPACT: Budgeted committee and staff resources.
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WHEREAS, The United States is in the midst of an opiate epidemic; and
WHEREAS, There were 16,235 prescription opioid overdose deaths in 2013; and
WHEREAS, 75% of new addicts became addicted on prescription opiates such as OxyContin and
Vicodin; and
WHEREAS, Frequently, new addicts obtain their OxyContin and Vicodin from unused prescriptions that
were improperly stored; and
WHEREAS, The Controlled Substance Act was amended in 2014 to allow hospitals and pharmacies to
establish drug take-back programs; and
WHEREAS, Very few hospitals or pharmacies have established drug take-back programs because of the
cost; and
WHEREAS, In July 2012, Alameda County, California enacted the “Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance” that
requires pharmaceutical companies to establish, fund, and operate a local “take-back” program to collect and
dispose of any and all unused prescription medicines; and
WHEREAS, Many consumer electronics and other products have built in take-back cost; and
WHEREAS, The United States 9th District Court ruled that the Alameda County, California ordinance
was constitutional; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That ACEP supports the requirement that pharmaceutical companies coordinate with
hospitals to pay for appropriate hospital-located drug “take-back” programs; and be it further
RESOLVED, That ACEP endorses and supports local ordinances, state, and national laws that require
drug “take-back” programs; and further be it
RESOLVED, That the AMA Section Council on Emergency Medicine submit a resolution to the
American Medical Association to support drug “take-back” programs.
Resolution 29(15) Support for Drug “Take-Back” Programs
Page 2
Background
The resolution directs ACEP to support requirements that pharmaceutical companies coordinate with hospitals to
pay for hospital located drug take-back programs, endorse and support local, state, and national laws requiring
drug take-back programs, and to ask the AMA Section Council on Emergency Medicine to submit a resolution to
the American Medical Association (AMA) supporting drug take-back programs.
The rising epidemic of prescription and illicit opiate drug abuse in the United States has been well documented,
with public policy makers pursuing a variety of avenues to address the problem. Over the course of these policy
discussions, one of the issues that has been raised concerns the lack of means of proper disposal of unused opioid
medications. In addition to potential environmental issues related to improper disposal, public health experts have
pointed out that the lack of means of disposal creates a quantity of these medications that are available for abuse
or diversion.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, citing studies showing that many abused prescription drugs are
obtained “from the family medicine cabinet,” says that many Americans do not know the proper means of
disposing of unused medications and end up either flushing them down toilets or throwing them in the trash.
Neither holding onto these medications in medicine cabinets nor disposing of them in this manner is considered to
by the DEA to be a desired practice. On September 26, 2015, the DEA held its 10th annual “National Prescription
Drug Take-Back Event.” The first nine of those events resulted in the collection of more than 4.8 million pounds
of drugs.
Each year, the AMA produces press releases and other material supporting the annual DEA Take-Back events.
The AMA has considered state based legislation on a case-by-case basis as part of its “multi-pronged approach”
addressing prescription drug abuse and diversion.
ACEP Strategic Plan Reference
Promote quality and patient safety, including development and validation of quality measures.
Fiscal Impact
Budgeted committee and staff resources.
Prior Council Action
None
Prior Board Action
None
Background Information Prepared by: Harry Monroe
Chapter & State Relations Director
Reviewed By: Kevin Klauer, DO, EJD, FACEP, Speaker
James Cusick, MD, FACEP, Vice Speaker
Dean Wilkerson, JD, MBA, CAE, Council Secretary and Executive Director