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Drug Take Back Program

Official image for the MHS Drug Take Back ProgramThe Military Health System established the Drug Take Back program to help beneficiaries properly dispose of their prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

  • The program will be available at all military treatment facility (MTF) pharmacies in United States and U.S. Territories.
  • MTFs in all other overseas areas will operated under the medication disposal guidance of their host nations. 

Requirements for Military Pharmacy Disposal Sites

MTF pharmacies operating as disposal sites must meet strict U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) guidelines for collecting and ultimate disposal of prescription drugs.

Drug Take Back Options

MTF pharmacies will offer one or both of the following drug take back options:

  • Mail-in envelopes distributed at MTF pharmacies
  • Secure receptacles at MTF pharmacies

The preferred national vendor is Sharps Compliance, Inc. You can get materials for your facility through Defense Logistics Agency national purchasing contracts. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1:

Why is drug take back important?

A:

Prescription pain drugs are the second-most commonly abused category of drugs in the U.S.

  • When used as directed, prescription drugs are safe and effective.
  • When abused, prescription drugs can be dangerous, addictive and deadly.

The availability of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription drugs are a major contributor to prescription drug abuse. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, more than 70% of prescription pain drug abuse involved drugs obtained from a friend or relative, and nearly one third of suicide attempts among veterans involve prescription medication. Our beneficiaries can reduce these risks by safely disposing their drugs through the MHS Drug Take Back program. 

Q2:

What kind of drugs can we accept through the MHS Drug Take Back program?

A:
  • Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs
  • Pills, tablets, capsules
  • Ointments
  • Creams
  • Lotions
  • Powders
  • Liquid medicines (no more than 4 oz.)
Q3:

Are there any drugs we can't accept at our facility through the MHS Drug Take Back program?

A:

You can’t accept any of the following items at your facility. Please direct patients to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Website for details about disposing of these and other hazardous materials.

  • Illegal drugs
  • Aerosol spray cans
  • Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide
  • Needles, syringes or sharps containers
  • More than 4 oz. of liquid
  • Trash
  • Mercury thermometers
  • Batteries
  • Chemicals
  • Home-based care or durable medical equipment supplies
Q4:

We already participate in other drug take back events. Are we still allowed to participate in these throughout the year?

A:

Yes. In addition to these MHS Drug Take Back activities, you can participate in law enforcement-sponsored drug take back events that occur throughout the year.

Q5:

Can a pharmacy staff member accept unused, unwanted, or expired drugs from patients to dispose?

A:

No. Per DEA rules, pharmacists and other pharmacy staff cannot accept drugs from a patient to dispose of. They must physically put the drugs in the collection bin or envelope.

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9/15/2016
Defense Department health care beneficiaries can now safely and easily dispose of expired and unused medications by bringing them to a military treatment facility or, in some cases, picking up a mailing envelope from the installation to send for destruction of the medications free of charge. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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Excess prescription and over-the-counter drugs can pose a serious risk in your home. The Military Health System is helping the military community fight back against the dangers of unneeded, unused and expired drugs by offering Drug Take Back at U.S. military pharmacies. Most pharmacies have fixed containers in place where you can drop off excess drugs. Airman 1st Class Hannah McDonald, 1st Special Operations Medical Squadron pharmacy apprentice, disposes of an unwanted prescription in to a container in the pharmacy lobby on Hurlburt Field, Florida. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Kai White)

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DHA IPM 16-001 - MHS Drug Take Back (DTB)

Policy

Describes procedures for MHS organizations to offer beneficiaries the option of returning their controlled and non-controlled prescriptions and over-the-counter medications for disposal through a DTB program.

DoD Instruction 6025.25: Drug Take Back Program

Policy

In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5124.02, establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for developing, publishing, and implementing procedural guidance for a Drug Take Back Program throughout the Military Health System, in accordance with Parts 1300-1321 of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, also known and referred to in this issuance as the “Controlled Substances Act.”

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