News

Beauregard Health System Pharmacy announced today it has established a convenient medication takeback program for easy disposal of leftover, unused and out-of-date prescription and over-the counter medications.

In an effort to help reduce the risk of drugs in the home that can potentially harm children, teens or adults, Beauregard Health System Pharmacy has set up a secure, safe drop-off location at Beauregard Health System in DeRidder.

Unused medications in the home are a source of drug abuse in millions of homes, with the opioid crisis in the United States fueled in part by that availability: More than 70 percent of young people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or family, including raiding the family medicine cabinet. Overall, 22,000 people die each year from misuse of prescription drugs.

“We want to provide our community members with the safe, secure opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and make their homes and communities safer,” said Alex Manitzas, Director of Beauregard Health System Pharmacy. “We want to remind people that they should not flush drugs down the toilet. Traces of drugs can appear in community drinking water. Our drug disposal unit, which is easily accessible in the Same Day Surgery waiting area, is a great answer to that problem and it’s simple to do. All they do is just come in and look for the big green receptacle. Drugs can be dropped off with no questions asked.”

Manitzas said there are some things that can’t be taken in the receptacle, such as inhalers and needles. The collection receptacle will be available in the Same Day Surgery waiting area near the vending machines.

Beauregard Health System Pharmacy partnered with Inmar to manage this drug takeback program. The company has a long history as the industry leader in handling prescription and over-the-counter drug returns safely, securely and discreetly for major and regional chain drug stores as well as independent pharmacies and hospitals across the U.S.