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Found 1,160 results
  1. Content Article
    This article in the British Journal of Anaesthesia argues that the criminalisation of medical accidents leaves clinicians scared to report systemic causes and contributors to bad outcomes, removing a foundational pillar of patient safety. Looking at the case of RaDonda Vaught, a nurse who was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for a fatal medication accident, the authors highlight the need to move away from seeing adverse incidents in healthcare as being easily avoided through greater attention, trying harder or adherence to rules. They call on healthcare organisations to learn from the case and argue that healthcare systems need to be collaboratively redesigned with a systems perspective.
  2. News Article
    Two-thirds of patient safety incidents recorded during hospital trusts’ monthly reporting period for homecare medicine provision were for services provided by the company Sciensus, an investigation by The Pharmaceutical Journal has revealed. In response to a freedom of information request sent to 131 hospital trusts in England in August 2023, 32 trusts recorded 417 patient safety incidents during their most recent monthly reporting period, which ranged from May to July 2023. Some 66% of these incidents (277) related to services delivered by homecare provider Sciensus, despite providing medicines to fewer than half (44%) of the 96,849 patients covered in the data. The findings come after the House of Lords Public Services Committee opened an inquiry into homecare medicines services in May 2023 following press reports of complaints from patient organisations and others about the service provided. The inquiry heard evidence from patient groups, regulators, homecare companies and the government during the summer and the committee will publish its report on 16 November 2023. Sciensus was previously known as Healthcare at Home and is one of the UK’s largest homecare companies. The data also uncovered that Sciensus was a poor performer on “failed” deliveries, defined as those that did not arrive on the scheduled day. Read full story Source: The Pharmaceutical Journal, 9 November 2023
  3. Content Article
    This blog calls for action on the careful review of established pain medication when a patient is admitted to hospital. Richard describes the experience of two elderly patients who suffered pain due to their long term medication being stopped when they were admitted to hospital. Pain control needs must not be ignored or undermined, there needs to be carer and patient involvement and their consent, and alternative pain control must be considered.
  4. Content Article
    Medicines optimisation looks at the value which medicines deliver, making sure they are clinically-effective and cost-effective. It is about ensuring people get the right choice of medicines, at the right time, and are engaged in the process by their clinical team.  
  5. News Article
    Hospital-acquired infections, which became substantially more common during the pandemic, have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from a US patient safety watchdog group. It's key to note, researchers say, that infection rates before March 2020 were nothing to celebrate. On top of that moderately good news, the Leapfrog Group found other metrics that measure patient safety and satisfaction have fallen significantly, likely because of hospital staffing shortages and other pandemic-era challenges. "We're encouraged and relieved to see that infections are rapidly decreasing in hospitals following the spike during the pandemic, but we remain very concerned about a number of major problems in hospitals," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog, an independent, national nonprofit founded by large employers and other purchasers. Patient surveys following hospital visits found declines in experiences for the second year in a row in all states. Particularly significant drops were reported in “communication about medicines” and “responsiveness of hospital staff." Preventable errors have been linked to these problems. "Hospitals need to take a hard look at what they are unnecessarily continuing post-pandemic that are not helping patients," Binder said. Read full story Source: USA Today News, 6 November 2023
  6. Content Article
    This blog by the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) shares highlights of the evidence given to a House of Lord's inquiry into homecare medicines services' governance and accountability. The witness sessions heard evidence on levers for accountability, performance and safety, e-prescribing and workforce. The blog looks at challenges faced by providers, the need for improved regulation and accountability and lack of data and KPIs. It also describes a desktop investigation being undertaken by NHS England to understand the range of arrangements that are in place and how homecare medicines services are held to account.
  7. Content Article
    In this blog, Pandora Pound, Research Director at Safer Medicines Trust, highlights the patient safety issues that come when we rely on animal testing to determine the safety of new drugs for use in humans. She looks at cases where animal testing has led to the belief that medications were safe to test in human clinical trials—with sometimes tragic results. Highlighting innovative technologies that offer a more accurate picture of the safety of medications in humans, she calls on policy makers to lead a move towards human biology-based approaches.
  8. News Article
    Britain faces record shortages of medicines amid a row between drug makers and the NHS over payments. Patients face issues getting hold of drugs for epilepsy and ADHD, as well as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause. A total of 111 drugs are currently facing supply issues, according to the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA). This is the highest level on record and more than double the number of drugs facing shortages at the start of 2022. The BGMA blamed an NHS drugs levy for the supply issues, saying it was discouraging pharmaceutical companies from supplying the health service. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said pharmacists were “spending long hours in the day trying to source medicines for patients and this is on top of all the other activities they do in a busy pharmacy”. She said: “Our pharmacy teams see firsthand the anxiety and stress experienced by patients caused by medicines shortages.” Shortages have also led to more abuse and aggression towards pharmacists, she said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Telegraph,
  9. News Article
    Drug that can halve breast cancer risk offered to 289,000 women in England Anastrozole to be made available to women who have been through the menopause and have family history of breast cancer Almost 300,000 women at higher risk of developing breast cancer are being given access to a drug that can halve their risk in a “major step forward” in the fight against the disease. An estimated 289,000 women in England who are at moderate or high risk of breast cancer will from Tuesday be able to take the tablet to try to prevent it from developing, NHS bosses said. The drug, anastrozole, is being made available to women who are in greater danger because they have been through menopause and have a major family history of Britain’s commonest form of cancer. It displays “remarkable” potential to reduce the number of people who go on to develop the disease, the head of the NHS said last night. Every year, around 56,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer – about 150 a day. While survival rates have improved, it still claims about 11,500 lives each year. “It’s fantastic that this vital risk-reducing option could now help thousands of women and their families avoid the distress of a breast cancer diagnosis,” said Amanda Pritchard, NHSC England’s chief executive. The drug will be taken as a 1mg tablet once a day for five years. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 November 2023
  10. Content Article
    UKCVFamily was set up in November 2021 to support patients in the UK who have had an adverse reaction to a Covid-19 vaccination. The group provides help and advocacy as well as raising awareness amongst healthcare professionals, the media and the Government. In this video, founder of UKCVFamily Charlet Crichton talks to us about the side effects she experienced after having the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. She outlines why she established the group and describes the support it offers to patients. She outlines some of the issues people face when trying to access diagnosis and treatment, and discusses the limitations of the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme in collecting data about adverse reactions. She also describes how healthcare professionals can support people with adverse reactions by taking their concerns seriously and investigating symptoms thoroughly.
  11. Content Article
    The National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes (SIPs) collectively form the largest safety initiative in the history of the NHS. They support a culture of safety, continuous learning and sustainable improvement across the healthcare system. SIPs aim to create continuous and sustainable improvement in settings such as maternity units, emergency departments, mental health trusts, GP practices and care homes. SIPs are delivered by local healthcare providers working directly with the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes Team and through 15 regionally-based Patient Safety Collaboratives. The five National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes (NatPatSIP) are as follows: Managing Deterioration Safety Improvement Programme (ManDetSIP) Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP) Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP) Adoption and Spread Safety Improvement Programme (A&S-SIP) Mental Health Safety Improvement Programme (MH-SIP) This report summarises the progress of the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes.
  12. News Article
    A private health company paid millions by the NHS has failed to fix safety defects that led to the death of a cancer patient, the Guardian can reveal. Three patients were hospitalised and a fourth died when they were given the wrong doses of a powerful chemotherapy drug after a catastrophic IT failure at the medicine manufacturing unit of Sciensus in April this year. The incident, first revealed by the Guardian in July, prompted an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Its inspectors found “significant deficiencies” at the Sciensus manufacturing facilities and ordered the partial suspension of its manufacturing licence. However, six months after the IT blunder, Sciensus has not fixed the problems identified by the regulator, according to people familiar with the matter. As a result, the suspension of its licence – originally due to be lifted last month – has been extended until July next year. Sciensus is the UK’s biggest provider of medicines services to NHS and private patients at home. It is contracted by the NHS and other organisations to deliver and administer medicines to more than 200,000 people with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, dementia, HIV and cancer. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 5 November 2023
  13. News Article
    RaDonda Vaught has spoken out about her criminal case for the first time last week in an exclusive interview with ABC News. Ms. Vaught, 38, was sentenced to three years of supervised probation on 13 May. She was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and abuse of an impaired adult for a fatal medication error she made in December 2017 after overriding an electronic medical cabinet as a nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. The error, in which vecuronium, a powerful paralyser, was administered instead of the sedative Versed, led to the death of 75-year-old Charlene Murphey. "I will never be the same person," Ms. Vaught told ABC News, "It's really hard to be happy about something without immediately feeling guilty. She could still be alive, with her family. Even with all the system errors, the nurse is the last to check." Ms. Vaught immediately took responsibility for the medication error after it occurred but contends that her actions alone did not cause the error. Her case has spurred an outcry from nurses across the country, many of whom have expressed concerns about the likelihood of similar mistakes under increasingly difficult working conditions. "So many things had to line up incorrectly for this error to have happened, and my actions were not alone in that," Ms. Vaught said. When Ms. Pilgrim asked her if she felt like a scapegoat, Ms. Vaught said, "I think the whole world feels like I was a scapegoat." "There's a fine line between blame and responsibility, and in healthcare, we don't blame," she said. "I'm responsible for what I failed to do. Vanderbilt is responsible for what they failed to do." Read full story Source: Becker's Hospital Review, 23 May 2022
  14. News Article
    THE NHS has announced plans to scrap prescriptions for 35 conditions in a bid to save the money it spends on drugs available over-the-counter (OTC). The body said it will no longer issue treatments for a range of minor conditions, such as diarrhoea, oral thrush and ailments associated with pain. The health body will no longer prescribe drugs for 35 conditions listed below, which patients will have to purchase from their local pharmacy or supermarket going forward. The plan to dial back on prescriptions was devised with the aim of allocating funds to treatments for more serious conditions, according to the health body. Many of the conditions are able to resolve on their own, but prescriptions may still be issued if an exemption applies. Acute sore throat Conjunctivitis Coughs, colds, and nasal congestion Cradle cap Dandruff Diarrhoea Dry eyes / sore tired eyes Earwax Excessive sweating Haemorrhoids Head live Indigestion and heartburn Infant colic Infrequent cold sores of the lip Infrequent constipation Infrequent migraine Insect bites and stings Mild acne Mild burns and scalds Mild cystitis Mild dry skin Mild irritant dermatitis Mild to moderate hay fever Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and fever (e.g. aches and pain, headache, period pain, back pain) Mouth ulcers Nappy rash Oral thrush Prevention of tooth decay Ringworm/athlete’s foot Sunburn Sun protection Teething / mild toothache Threadworms Travel sickness Warts and verrucae Read full story Source: Express, 20 May 2022
  15. News Article
    Injured women are experiencing sex discrimination in the administration of a life-saving drug that cuts the risk of bleeding to death by 30%, researchers have warned. They found that female trauma victims were half as likely to receive tranexamic acid (TXA) as injured men – even though the treatment is equally effective regardless of sex. “These results are very concerning. TXA is the only proven life-saving treatment for traumatic bleeding. Women were treated less frequently than men regardless of their risk of death from bleeding or the severity of their injuries,” said Prof Ian Roberts of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), who was involved in the study. “This looks like sex discrimination, and there is an urgent need to reduce this disparity, so all patients who need the drug have the chance to receive it.” “Whatever of the mechanism of injury, and whatever the bleeding risk we looked at, women were statistically less likely to receive tranexamic acid than men, apart from road traffic collisions with a very high risk of bleeding,” said Tim Nutbeam, whose research was published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia. “However, when we looked at mechanisms of injury which we tend to associate less with major trauma, such as falls from standing, women and particularly older women were much less likely to receive it.” As striking as these results are, they are not necessarily surprising, he added: “It is already known that women with chest pain are less likely to receive aspirin, less likely to be resuscitated for out of hospital cardiac arrest, and less likely to be taken to hospital by an ambulance using lights and sirens.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 18 May 2022
  16. News Article
    RaDonda Vaught was sentenced to three years of supervised probation on the 13 May for a fatal medication error she made in 2017 while working as a nurse at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the USA. In remarks made during the sentencing hearing, Ms. Vaught expressed concerns over what her case means for clinicians and patient safety reporting. "This sentencing is bound to have an effect on how [nurses] proceed both in reporting medical errors, medication errors, raising concerns if they see something they feel needs to be brought to someone's attention," she said. "I worry this is going to have a deep impact on patient safety." Numerous medical organisations expressed similar concerns in statements circulated after Ms. Vaught's sentencing. "To achieve our goal of zero patient harm and death from preventable medical errors, we need to foster a culture where leadership of hospitals and healthcare organizations support healthcare workers and encourage them to share near misses," the Patient Safety Movement Foundation said in a statement. "Healthcare workers are human and healthcare systems need to ensure there are appropriate processes in place to provide their staff with a safe and reliable working environment so they can provide their patients with the best care. Only by identifying potential problems and learning from them can change occur." Read full story Source: Becker's Hospital Review, 16 May 2022
  17. News Article
    NHS prescription charges in England are to be frozen for the first time in 12 years, the government has confirmed. Single prescription charges, which the Department of Health said would normally rise "in line with inflation", will remain at £9.35 until next year. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said freezing the costs would "put money back in people's pockets". Faith Angwet, a single mother of two, said she had to choose between paying for prescriptions to treat for her high blood pressure, or using that money to feed her children. She said the price freeze "won't go far" because "it's not necessarily the outgoings affecting me, everything is going up in price and I'm not able to afford everything I use to be, including my prescription". Claire Anderson, of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said people who do not qualify for free prescriptions because of their income, age, or medication type, often had to make decisions about which medicines they need. "Those medicines are prescribed for a reason because that patient needs that treatment," she told the BBC. And Laura Cockram, chairwoman of the Prescription Charges Coalition, who welcomed the freeze, said the government should review the list of those who qualified for free prescriptions. She said the prescription exemption charge list was put together more than 50 years ago, when conditions like HIV "didn't even exist" and at a time there "weren't life saving treatments for things like asthma, Parkinson's and MS". Read full story Source: BBC News, 16 May 2022
  18. News Article
    Women and babies in the UK are “dying needlessly” because of a lack of suitable medicines to use in pregnancy, according to a report that calls for a radical overhaul of maternal health. A “profound” shortage of research and the widespread exclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women from clinical trials means hardly any new drugs are approved for common medical problems in pregnancy or soon after childbirth, the report finds. Meanwhile, scarce or contradictory information about the safety of existing medicines women may be taking for continuing conditions can make it impossible to reach a confident decision on whether or not to continue them in pregnancy, the experts add. “While pregnancy in the UK is generally considered safe, women and babies are still dying needlessly as a direct result of preventable pregnancy complications,” the authors say. Each year, 5,000 babies in the UK are either stillborn or die shortly after birth, while about 70 women die of complications in pregnancy. The Healthy Mum, Healthy Baby, Healthy Future report draws on evidence from patient groups, clinicians, researchers, lawyers, insurance specialists and the pharmaceutical industry, it proposes “urgent” changes to transform women’s access to modern medicine. The report highlights the “profound lack of research activity” and up-to-date information that leaves pregnant women and their physicians in the dark about whether to continue with certain medicines in pregnancy. Some epilepsy drugs, for example, can increase the risk of birth defects, but coming off them can put the woman at risk of severe seizures, which can also harm the baby. Lady Manningham-Buller said the situation “urgently needs to change”, with the report setting out eight recommendations to prevent needless deaths. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 May 2022
  19. News Article
    Remdesivir has no significant effect on patients with Covid-19 who are already being ventilated but has a small effect against death or progression to ventilation among other patients admitted to hospital, the World Health Organization’s Solidarity trial has found. This appears to be a change from findings reported in February 2021, when preliminary trial data suggested that remdesivir “had little or no effect on patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19.” The updated results, published in the Lancet, reported that overall 14.5% of patients assigned to remdesivir died compared with 15.6% assigned to the control group. The release of these results has prompted questions about why it has taken so long to publish these data, especially considering WHO’s recommendation against the use of remdesivir in patients with Covid-19. Read full story Source: BMJ, 4 May 2022
  20. News Article
    A shortage of specific types of hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) has left women struggling with untreated symptoms of the menopause. Demand for prescriptions has more than doubled since 2017 - partly because of work by campaigners to extend access - but supply of some products has not kept up. Yasmin Darling's experience of the menopause was sudden and profound. Two years ago, she had two operations to reduce her risk of inherited cancer which plunged her into an early menopause. "It's really hard to navigate medical menopause 10 years early," the 45-year-old says. "When you don't have the product you need, it makes it much more difficult to navigate." Because of Covid, Yasmin has never been seen by a specialist at a menopause clinic, so she is managing as best she can on her own. Claire Lopez, 59, spent three weeks trying to obtain her usual HRT patches from different local chemists but they were out of stock. Without them, her body becomes "very stiff", leading to slipped discs and severe back pain. "I have severe anxiety if I do not have these patches, so the total lack of coordination between GPs and pharmacists was extremely frustrating," Claire says. In the end, she had to arrange a private prescription through a local clinic, in the Midlands, costing £50. The government has said it is determined to ensure supplies of HRT can meet high demand. Minister for Women's Health Maria Caulfield said: "There are over 70 HRT products available in the UK, most of which remain in good supply. "However, we are aware of some issues with women being unable to access certain products. "We will be appointing a new HRT-supply chairperson and convening an urgent meeting of suppliers to look at ways we can work together to improve supply." Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 April 2022
  21. News Article
    Nearly a third of community pharmacies in Wales should be able to prescribe medicines for NHS patients, including antibiotics, by the end of this year, health officials say. It is the first new service of its kind in the UK. The aim is to take the pressure off GPs at a time of increasing strain on the NHS. Scotland has adopted a similar approach but England and Northern Ireland have not so far. Community pharmacies in Wales are allowed to offer prescriptions of medicines for acute illnesses such as urinary tract and respiratory infections, gout and chronic pain, as well as emergency contraception - if they have a pharmacist who has had extra training for prescribing. For most patients, that will be more convenient and avoid waits for GP appointments. The plan is to roll out the service progressively across Wales, building on local schemes already in place. Local doctors in general practice have welcomed the new policy. Dr Penny Coyle said each week about 25 patients with minor ailments were referred to the pharmacist, saving 100 GP appointments a month and giving doctors more time to visit seriously ill patients in their homes. "We are finding that demand is outweighing capacity and so anything that relieves some of the pressure on general practice is very welcome," she said. Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said: "Pharmacist prescribers can help massively when you think about the shortages and the HRT issues, for example, that we are currently facing - having a pharmacist prescriber being able to prescribe alternative medicines without the patient having to wait to see the GP." Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 April 2022
  22. News Article
    A pill to help treat an overactive bladder - which affects millions of women - could soon be available to buy in the UK without prescription. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) wants women and doctors to submit their views. Aquiette tablets treat the "urge to pee" condition which can cause frequent toilet trips and distressing accidents. Symptoms include having to urinate at least eight times a day and more than once during the night. It would be the first time a medicine for the treatment of overactive bladder would be available without prescription. Dr Laura Squire, from the MHRA, said: "For many women, an overactive bladder can make day-to-day living extremely challenging. "It can impact on relationships, on work, on social life, and it can lead to anxiety and depression. "Fortunately there are treatments around, and from today you will have a chance to have your say on whether one of those treatments, Aquiette, can be available for the first time without a prescription." Minister for Women's Health Maria Caulfield said: "When it comes to sensitive issues such as bladder control, speaking to a GP may act as a barrier for some women to seek help. "Reclassification of Aquiette would enable women to access vital medication without needing a prescription." The Commission on Human Medicines has been consulted and has advised that it is safe for Aquiette to be made available over-the-counter at UK pharmacies. The consultation will run for three weeks, closing on 6 May, 2022. Read full story Source: BBC News, 23 April 2022
  23. News Article
    Pharmacy staff in England are facing growing abuse and aggression from patients frustrated that drug shortages mean they cannot get their usual medications, a survey reveals. The hostility, including swearing and spitting, comes as availability of medicines is becoming more uncertain as a result of Brexit, the Covid pandemic and ingredient supply problems. Hormone replacement therapy drugs are in short supply in many places, affecting women undergoing menopause, for example. Half of pharmacists and counter staff say the unpredictability is causing problems for customers managing their health, according to research by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), which represents community pharmacies in England. The PSNC’s survey of 1,132 staff from and 418 bosses of 5,000 pharmacies found: 75% of pharmacies have seen patients turn aggressive when told they cannot have the medication they have been prescribed. 49% of staff say patient abuse is undermining their mental wellbeing. 51% believe supply chain issues affect patients every day. “It is really worrying to hear that pharmacy staff are so routinely facing aggression from patients,” said Janet Morrison, the PSNC’s chief executive. “Pharmacists tell us anecdotally that this can include verbal abuse, swearing, spitting and threatening to report staff to regulators. “Many community pharmacies are having to deal with medicine supply issues on a daily basis. This adds pressures on to already busy pharmacy teams and can also be worrying for patients if they have to wait longer for the medicines that they need.” Patients were left “frustrated and inconvenienced” by drug shortages, she added. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 25 April 2022
  24. News Article
    Women are being left unable to sleep or work competently because of the shortages of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products used to treat symptoms of the menopause, the former cabinet minister, Caroline Nokes, has said. Millions of women go through the menopause every year, with many experiencing symptoms that can be severe, such as low mood, anxiety, hot flushes and difficulty sleeping, and have a negative impact on everyday life. The number of prescriptions for HRT in England has doubled in the last five years to more than 500,000 a month. But the rise in prescriptions has come amid several years of HRT shortages, with pharmacists often unable to fulfil prescriptions. Shortages have been blamed on manufacturing and supply issues, and have been exacerbated by the growing numbers of women seeking the products. Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Nokes, chair of the women and equalities committee, called for an urgent debate on the issue to ensure women “can get the supplies that we need”. In October, the government announced that the cost of repeat prescriptions for HRT would be significantly reduced in England. In the Commons on Thursday, Labour MP Nick Smith asked Spencer why there was “no date yet for the HRT prescription changes in England”. Spencer said it was “something the health secretary is looking at, at this moment in time”. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 21 April 2022
  25. News Article
    the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is seeking public comment on a potential change that would require opioid analgesics used in outpatient settings to be dispensed with prepaid mail-back envelopes and that pharmacists provide patient education on safe disposal of opioids. This potential modification to the existing Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy would provide a convenient, additional disposal option for patients beyond those already available such as flushing, commercially available in-home disposal products, collection kiosks and takeback events. Patients commonly report having unused opioid analgesics following surgical procedures, thereby creating unfortunate opportunities for nonmedical use, accidental exposure, overdose and potentially increasing new cases of opioid addiction. Since many Americans gain access to opioids for the first time through friends or relatives who have unused opioids, requiring a mail-back envelope be provided with each prescription could reduce the amount of unused opioid analgesics in patients' homes. Data show educating patients about disposal options may increase the disposal rate of unused opioids and that providing a disposal option along with education could further increase that rate. Mail-back envelopes have several favorable characteristics. They do not require patients to mix medications with water, chemicals or other substances nor use other common at-home disposal techniques. Opioid analgesics sent back to Drug Enforcement Administration-registered facilities in mail-back envelopes do not enter the water supply and landfills (instead, they are incinerated). The nondescript mail-back envelopes provided would be postage paid, offering patients a free disposal option. Additionally, there are long-standing regulations and policies in place to ensure that mail-back envelopes are fit for that purpose and can safely and securely transport unused medicines from the patient's home to the location where they will be destroyed. "The FDA is committed to addressing the opioid crisis on all fronts, including exploring new approaches that have the potential to decrease unnecessary exposure to opioids and prevent new cases of addiction. Prescribing opioids for durations and doses that do not properly match the clinical needs of the patient not only increases the chances for misuse, abuse and overdose, but it also increases the likelihood of unnecessary exposure to unused medications," said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. "As we explore ways to further address this issue more broadly, the mail-back envelope requirement under consideration for these unused medications would complement current disposal programs and provide meaningful and attainable steps to improve the safe use and disposal." Read full story Source: Cision, 20 April 2020
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