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Expired Medication: Societal, Regulatory and Ethical Aspects of a Wasted Opportunity.

ABSTRACT: A massive volume of expired medications amasses annually around the world because of pharmaceutical overprescription, combined with overproduction. The accumulation of pharmaceutical waste imposes ecological, economic and social/ethical burdens. Managing this presumed "waste" has developed into a global challenge due to the absence of specific regulations, unreasonable behavior of the patients, and an improper understanding of the concept of "expired medications" in general. This paper summaries, first, the recent literature reporting practices related to the disposal of unused medications. In this context, 48 papers from 34 countries with a total of 33,832 participants point towards a significant lack of public awareness regarding the appropriate disposal of such biologically potent chemicals. These findings are corroborated by a local survey on the disposal practices of unused medicines among pharmacy students at Saarland University. The regulatory aspects surrounding this topic, often based on the official guidelines for the disposal of expired medications and local waste management strategies, are then discussed in light of these findings. Finally, a closer inspection of the epistemic values of expired medications and different strategies for managing expired medications have been reviewed.

SUBMITTER: Alnahas F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7037917 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Expired Medication: Societal, Regulatory and Ethical Aspects of a Wasted Opportunity.

Alnahas Faez F Yeboah Prince P Fliedel Louise L Abdin Ahmad Yaman AY Alhareth Khair K

International journal of environmental research and public health 20200127 3

A massive volume of expired medications amasses annually around the world because of pharmaceutical overprescription, combined with overproduction. The accumulation of pharmaceutical waste imposes ecological, economic and social/ethical burdens. Managing this presumed "waste" has developed into a global challenge due to the absence of specific regulations, unreasonable behavior of the patients, and an improper understanding of the concept of "expired medications" in general. This paper summaries ...[more]

PMID: 32012703

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Project description:Sustainability is typically viewed as consisting of three forces, economic, social, and ecological, in tension with one another. In this paper, we address the dangers posed to societal sustainability. The concern being addressed is the very survival of societies where the rights of individuals, personal and collective freedoms, an independent judiciary and media, and democracy, despite its messiness, are highly valued. We argue that, as a result of various technological innovations, a range of dysfunctional impacts are threatening social and political stability. For instance, robotics and automation are replacing human labor and decision-making in a range of industries; search engines, monetized through advertising, have access to, and track, our interests and preferences; social media, in connecting us to one another often know more about us than we ourselves do, enabling them to profit in ways which may not coincide with our well-being; online retailers have not only acquired the ability to track and predict our buying choices, but also they can squeeze vendors based on their outsize bargaining power; and, in general, virtual technologies have changed both the way we think and our sense of self. With the rising deployment of the Internet of Things, and developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence, the threats to individual freedoms and rights, societal cohesion and harmony, employment and economic well-being, and trust in democracy are being ratcheted up. This paper lauds the benefits and addresses the harm wrought by the high tech giants in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The search for rapidly growing revenues (and shareholder returns and stock prices) drives firms to accelerate product innovation without fully investigating the entire gamut of their impacts. As greater wealth accrues to the leaders of tech firms, inequalities within firms and societies are widening, creating social tensions and political ferment. We explore the ethical nature of the challenge employing a simple utilitarian calculus, complemented by approaches rooted in rights, justice, and the common good. Various options to address the challenges posed by ICTs are considered and evaluated. We argue that regulation may do little more than slow down the damage to society, particularly since societal values and political preferences vary internationally. Firms need to establish ethical standards, imbuing the upholders of these standards with sufficient authority, while creating a culture of morality. User involvement and activism, and shareholders' concerns for the sustainability of societies on whose continued prosperity they depend, are imperative to humanity's ability to decide the future direction of technology.

Project description:BackgroundImproper household medication disposal practices are a source of significant threat to environmental safety and public health. Pharmacists play a crucial role in mitigating these risks by educating the public about proper medication disposal. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of efforts conducted by health professionals to reduce the risks associated with improper disposal practices is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review pharmacist-led interventions in addressing unused and expired household medication disposal.MethodA comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify studies evaluating pharmacist-led interventions and the effectiveness in improving household medication disposal practices until January 2024 with no constraints on publication year. Two reviewers independently performed the study selection process, data extraction, and outcomes assessment. Subsequently, the entire collected data were extracted and synthesized using qualitative and quantitative methods.ResultsThe results showed that two among the total 83 studies retrieved during the search process met the inclusion criteria. The identified pharmacist-led interventions included the provision of an at-home medication disposal kit and an informational handout on proper disposal. However, these interventions showed no significant effects in improving household medication disposal practices, and all studies reported a low engagement rate with interventions.ConclusionThe systematic review identified limited literature on pharmacist-led interventions for unused and expired household medication disposal practices, with no observed significant effects. Active patient and pharmacist engagement were required to enhance the effectiveness of interventions. Furthermore, the included limited studies suggested the need for the development of more pharmacist-led interventions to facilitate the role of pharmacist in educating the public on proper household medication disposal.

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Expired Medication: Societal, Regulatory and Ethical Aspects of a Wasted Opportunity.

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Expired Medication: Societal, Regulatory and Ethical Aspects of a Wasted Opportunity.

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