Pilfering from clinical wastes
A US nurse admitted in court pilfering from clinical wastes to obtain drugs apparently ‘to aid in suicide attempts at her home’, but denied using those drugs and/or the syringes […]
drug waste
Drug Disposal System-Pill Crusher
The Drug Disposal System-Pill Crusher is a specially designed device to feed pills (medications) into, and they are crushed automatically. It is operated by a sensor and a permanent lock […]
Size matters
The pharmaceutical industry needs to rethink its approach to packaging cancer drugs into a one-size vial to avoid drug wastage and save over $1.7 billion (bn) in 2016, a new […]
Removing pharma waste from the community
On the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum we have for some years now been pushing for community-wide hazardous waste take-back arrangements, organised perhaps by local authorities who might make available better […]
Further drug abuse in sports and gymnasia
It is reported in today’s BMJ that there is a further increase in drug abuse found among some sportsmen and women, and those using gyms and bodybuilding facilities. Steroid abuse […]
Drug litter – ‘activists’ fight back
Discarded needles and other drug use and injection paraphernalia is a widespread problem, of immediate safety and wider public concern. Approaches to management of this problem includes the obvious, that […]
Drug residues from wastes – the impact on the environment?
There is much debate surrounding the impact of pharmaceutical residues on the environment, and appropriately regulators are looking at control and remediation measures. But as we know, that goes off […]
How safe are drugs waste while in your charge?
All clinical waste companies will receive pharmaceutical wastes in either small amount of larger quantities if serving hospitals offering a extensive pharmacy and drug manufacture/formulation services. Drug waste may be […]
When take back becomes take!
We are well aware of drug take-back schemes, widely used in US and elsewhere to encourage safe disposal of unwanted prescription and other medications that might otherwise enter the domestic […]
Shooting gallery for Brighton?
Today, the press are getting excited about proposals for a safe injection facility – a shooting gallery – for Brighton. This would provide a safe environment for IV drug users, where […]
Reducing antibiotic resistance – better prescribing for less waste
It is an imperative that every possible step is made to reduce antibiotic resistance though in reality the genie is out of the bottle and, as resistance rates are already high and […]
An Olympic shame?
The Olympics are upon us. As one who lives in London, I can’t say for one moment that I’m looking forward to the unprecedented level of disruption that is will […]
Pharmaceutical waste from operating theatres and ITU
By analysing the pharmaceutical waste produced by eight operating rooms, an anaesthetist in New York found that discarded or wasted propofol made up 45% of all the drug waste. Future wastage […]
Medicines wastage
The prescribing of unnecessary and unwanted medicines places a substantial and unwelcome pressure of healthcare costs, stockpiles drugs in bathroom cabinets that increases the risk of self-harm or accidental poisoning, and bears […]
Redistributing unwanted pharmaceuticals
Vast quantities of pharmaceuticals are wasted each year, primarily as unwanted ‘trade’ samples and surplus or date-restricted stocks held by small dispensaries. Leaving aside the matter of excreted drug substance […]
It’s all your fault!
Who is responsible for pharmaceutical wastes? For high costs of supply crippling NHS budgets? For drug residues in the environment? Well, if you live in NE Scotland, it’s probably yours. […]
Pharmaceutical waste management
Whether the waste from pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing, stocking and over-stocking in pharmacies, over-prescribing or patient non-compliance, there is a great need to minimise pharmaceutical waste. The combined aims must be […]
US National prescription drug take-back day
On many previous occasions, the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum has reported occasional take-back schemes for unwanted prescription drugs operating across local or regional communities. These prove very successful, as cheap […]
Clinical waste, or evidence?
Clinical waste is usually sent for disposal without delay and there is every chance that Roger Clemens, a US baseball pitcher otherwise known as “Rocket” wished that disposal was indeed prompt! […]
Takeback and disposal of medications in US
San Francisco’s city leaders are poised to pass an ordinance requiring name-brand drug manufacturers to pay for collection and disposal of unused prescription medicines to curb prescription misuse and environmental impacts. […]