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Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center pharmacy staff collected more than 429 pounds of expired/unwanted medications brought by residents from Downey and neighboring communities.
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April 24, 2023
Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center pharmacy staff collected more than 429 pounds of expired/unwanted medications brought by residents from Downey and neighboring communities, as the hospital was one of ten Kaiser Permanente pharmacy collection sites in Southern California that participated in National Prescriptions Drug Take Back Day this past Saturday.
Community residents safely dropped off enough medications to fill 44 boxes for local law enforcement to dispose of properly.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. continue to be high, as is the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to prescription drugs. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Kaiser Permanente’s partner for this event, many people start down the path of addiction through the misuse of opioid prescription drugs. Thankfully, each year, high amounts of opioids are turned in at Drug Take Back Day events like this across the nation, preventing countless potential overdoses. Additionally, unused or expired medications that are flushed or thrown out with trash can end up polluting the environment.
