Prisma Health hosts ‘National Prescription Drug Take Back Day’

Columbia, SC (WOLO) —Join Prisma Health as they participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, happening Saturday, Oct. 26th, 2019 from 10AM -2PM.

The goal of the event encourages the public to drop off expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs to the front lawn of Prisma Health Richland Hospital, located at 5 Medical Park Drive.

National Prescription Take Back Day is a  safe, convenient, responsible and free way to get rid of prescription drugs that officials say can often end up in the wrong hands if not discarded properly.

Prisma officials ask you to keep in mind they will only accept pills or patches. liquids, needles or sharps will not be accepted.

Alex Luis, M.D., Trauma Medical Director at Prisma Health Richland Hospital Trauma Program says,

 “At the Prisma Health Richland Trauma Center, we strive to educate and inform the community about the potential for abuse and harm of prescription pain relievers. The national opioid crisis continues to claim countless lives, but through our collaborative efforts with local hospitals and EMS agencies, we are excited to do our part by being a collection site for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day,…It’s imperative that unused prescription drugs are not getting into the wrong hands for recreational use.”

Last April, when this event was held,  Americans turned in almost 1 million pounds of prescription drugs at more than 6,200 locations.

Officials say the  initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. The DEA encourages families to turn in prescriptions for a majority of reasons including that medication sitting home cabinets that are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.

This comes at a time when health officials say the rate of prescription addiction in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

What’s even more disturbing is that a bulk of these prescriptions that are abused, according to studies are frequently obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

“The single most effective thing you can do to protect your family is to properly dispose of old medications.”

For more information about Prisma Health Trauma Center or Behavioral Care, you can click on the following link here: PrismaHealth.org.