FDA launches public education campaign to encourage safe removal of unused opioid pain medicines from homes – Drug Information Update

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the launch of a new education campaign to help Americans understand the important role they play in removing and properly disposing of unused prescription opioids from their homes. This new initiative is part of the FDA’s continued efforts to address the nationwide opioid crisis and aims to help decrease unnecessary exposure to opioids and prevent new addiction. The “Remove the Risk” campaign is targeting women ages 35-64, who are most likely to oversee household health care decisions and often serve as the gatekeepers to opioids and other prescription medications in the home.

Prescription opioids are powerful, pain-reducing medicines that can help patients successfully manage pain when prescribed for the right condition and when used properly. When misused or abused, however, these drugs can cause serious harm, including addiction, overdose and death. In 2017, retail pharmacies dispensed more than 191 million opioid prescriptions to almost 60 million patients, either as first-time prescriptions or refills. As many as 90% of these patients reported not finishing what was prescribed to them, potentially leaving millions of unused prescription opioids in medicine cabinets and elsewhere in U.S. homes if not disposed of properly. During that same year, 47,600 people died from an overdose involving opioids. According to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, half of people who misused prescription opioids got them from a friend or family member.

As part of the “Remove the Risk” campaign, the FDA launched a new toolkit of materials, available in English and Spanish, which include: television, radio and print public service announcements (PSAs); fact sheets; social media graphics and posts; and website badges that can be used by individuals, health care providers and organizations. These materials are being made available free of charge to news media, health care providers, consumer groups, and other organizations working to combat the opioids crisis. The agency also recently updated information on safe disposal of unused prescription opioids on its Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know webpage, which can help individuals determine the best disposal option for their situation.

For more information, please visit: Remove the Risk.