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New Public Law 111-273 the off shoot of S. 3397 “The Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010” provides assistance to the Long Term Care industry. 

One of the major issues that LTC agencies face is the handling of controlled substances for their patients.  There is an ongoing debate about whether or not the LTC setting is a home or a facility.  LTC includes nursing homes, assisted living centers, and centers for those with developmental disabilities.  Although the prescription medication belongs to the resident, it is the healthcare provider that handles the medication and passes it out.  The question come up, when the medication is no longer needed or expired, what is the best and legal way to dispose of it in the LTC setting?

Public Law 111.273 opens the door for the Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to “issue regulations that will permit LTC facilities to dispose of controlled substances on behalf of their patients using drug take-back programs.”  The Public Law was signed by the President on October 12, 2010, and the next step is for the Attorney General to flesh it out in rules and regulations.   “The powers that be” in many industries will be watching closely to participate in the process of writing these significant new rules, will you? 

Check out the DD Digest: News Highlights for Developmental Disabilities (DD) Residential Services Providers for additional information.  I particularly like page 4.  http://publish.ahcancal.org/News/publication/DD_Digest/DD_Digest_October2010.pdf

About Gayle: Gayle has been a Registered Nurse for over 18 years. She has a Bachelors of Nursing and Masters of Health Science. As a Nurse she worked in leadership, Home Health, Hospice, teaching and case management. Over the years she dumped gallons of medication down the sink and toilet, and taught hundreds of caregivers to do the same thing. After much discussion and soul searching she decided there had to be a better way to deal with these unused pharmacueticals. In 2006 she had a burst of inspiration that started her on a mission to find a simple, user friendly, and cost effective way to dispose of medication without polluting the environment. More importantly, in the current environment of prescription drug abuse, the product decreases the chance of diversion and poisoning for children, animals or those making inappropriate decisions. Gayle worked with friends and family for three years to find a way to bring the Rx Rescue Pack to market. In 2009 she came in contact with knowledgeable business professionals that helped move this product to market. The research and marketing analysis identified the degree of frustration and fear surrounding pharmaceutical disposal. This understanding expanded the focus of the company to include consultation and coaching for facilities, businesses, municipalities, agencies, and governments.