Quantifying Antimicrobial Disposals at Six Community Pharmacies With Longitudinal Medication Disposal Programs: An Underappreciated Component of a One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Stewardship.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Unused, unwanted, and expired (UUE) medications, including antibiotics, pose a risk to our patients, their families, and our environment. A One Health approach to antimicrobial stewardship calls for stewards to recognize the interconnection between humans and our shared environment. The aims of this project were 2-fold: (1) to educate community members about the importance of responsible medication disposal and (2) to quantify the UUE medications returned to community pharmacies.

Methods

Medication disposal programs were established at several community pharmacies in central North Carolina. Periodically, pharmacy school faculty and students visited the participating pharmacies to identify, quantify, and dispose of all UUE medication returns. Medications were deact

SUBMITTER: Hoskins E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12548794 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature