Insight into medication disposal by patients upon discharge from hospital

Poster and abstract describing a study to determine patient medicine disposal habits according to:

- Medicine formulation e.g. tablets/capsules, liquids

- Medication source e.g. Hospital, GP, Pharmacy

Results showed patient medication disposal behaviours varied by formulation and medication origin.

‘Pharmacy return’ was first choice for all formulations except topicals, drops and patches which primarily went into rubbish. Post-survey patient conversations highlighted views that these drugs were ‘less harmful’ or ‘not real medicine’. Conversations also highlighted that disposal is influenced by pharmacotherapeutic group e.g. antibiotics would be returned to pharmacy more commonly than simple analgesia, possibly due to dedicated national antimicrobial stewardship campaigns. Liquids had the highest response to being flushed down the toilet (26%) suggesting patients underestimate their pharmaceutical value, whilst inhalers had the highest likelihood of being recycled. 

Contact:

 hmetezai123@gmail.com and tracy.lyons@nhsdorset.nhs.uk