please return ANY un-used medicines back to the Pharmacy

My prescription changed just a day after collecting the old prescription. I returned the first to the pharmacy immediately. Was informed that no returned pills & potions could be used as they wouldn't know how the medication had been stored. Too hot, too cold or whatever. So all retuned medication is destroyed.

Hospital once phoned me saying to pick up husbands prescription and get it straight away. Did so then got another call saying it was the wrong stuff. Refused to give me a refund. What an arsehole!

Off not of.

You need to take all name details of the boxes/bottles before you hand then in though.

An article on ITV West Thursday 5th September reporting the medicines entering the rivers and stream on Dartmoor and Exmoor.
Please don't give up on taking unused medicines to the Pharmacy,if they make up some excuse,go somewhere else and report that Pharmacy that refused you to the NHS.

We took surplus drugs of any sort when we could go to Myanmar. This was through Pandaw who had clinics where drugs were very precious. Presumably they gave them to people who had nothing. I remember seeing families camping out in front of the hospitals. DH has a 3 month repeat scrip and the gp often alters the drugs. We don’t deliberately stockpile.

This is a really important topic - and also frustrating. We now have a box full of old medicines etc built up over about 8 years. Because the pharmacy often refuse to take them! Managed to get rid of a few at Boots where they reluctantly took about 3 packets. They make it hard work. I am not chucking them in the normal bin or flushing them down the loo - so the box just gets fuller!

There really should be a proper drugs dumping centre somewhere!

RosiesMaw2

^Remember the three "P's"^
No to Pee, poo,and paper

What do you recommend?

I’m devastated by this advice! Where am I meant to put the 3 Ps, then?

Insulin pens & inhalers can all be recycled at pharmacies / surgeries / hospitals.

I expect some people are frightened that their medication will not always be available. This is scary when their life depends on them. Switching medications is complex, not without risks and not always possible for medical reasons.
For example: www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/16/almost-half-uk-adults-struggling-prescription-drugs-medicine-shortages
www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/our-response-serious-supply-issues-drugs-people-living-type-2-diabetes

My granddaughter has a specific medication that cannot just be returned to the pharmacy.

I wonder if the charities who drive supplies to Ukraine would accept the dressings Kathmaggie. And any unopened packs or strips of painkillers etc. I am sure our local university ran such a scheme a year or so ago. Much publicised locally. And they did ask for bandages etc.

Good grief. I can’t believe people still do this 🤦‍♀️

I’ve got some unopened boxes of tablets at home which Ikeep forgetting to take back to the pharmacy. One medication has been changed by the GP bit as I get two months prescription at a time I had a months supply now unused. Really must try to remember

My DH died recently at home after much support from District Nurses and other professionals. Many meds including controlled drugs were accepted by local pharmacy for destruction. However the many unused dressing packs ( unopened and sealed were not accepted. I was told to put them in the general waste bin! Unbelievable!

I am given 3 months meds at a time. Reason being my meds are sometimes very hard to get hold of!

Excuse me growsstuff I take offence at that comment are you calling me a liar I have two rare illnesses blood tests every month of my life and very often after the first lot of blood tests my levels go up so much that I flare hence my consultant changes my meds to dif level do not judge on something you know nothing about!!!!!!

I live in Wales where all prescriptions are free so are not ‘valued’. A family member worked in a pharmacy where people would bring in huge amounts of unused medications for destruction. When it was pointed out they didn’t have to have everything on repeat if it wasn’t needed they weren’t interested and just carried on throwing it away. I have regular medications but would rather pay for a season ticket and the money saved go into the struggling NHS

So it’s not always black and white I know of loads of people with excess tabs through no fault of their own it’s just the way it is

dragonfly46

I wonder how the pharmacists dispose of the medicines.

They should send anything that has not been opened to Doctors without borders or similiar charities. Some charities will accept opened boxes of pills too.

Anything else should be sent to be destroyed as toxic chemical waste.

We always return unused meds, including those bought over the counter. I regularly go through everything to make sure still in date.

Mt61

Aveline

We don't 'stockpile' meds. eg I was discharged from hospital three times with strong painkillers which I didnt take.
DH was prescribed a new meds which didnt agree with him so the GP told him to stop taking them etc etc. It happens

You may not stock but I have seen it in my last job, pain killers, gaviscon, creams & pads- could have opened a pharmacy

These are the people I wonder about - not people who have a half packet of unused meds.

I nearly always have a month's supply of my medications, partly because it's sometimes difficult to pick them up from the pharmacy and there are two which sometimes seem to be in short supply. I'm prescribed painkillers, which I don't always need, so don't take. Every few months I don't order them, so I never have more than a month.

HeavenLeigh

Grow stuff for me it’s not a case of me stockpiling on purpose I have two illnessses where I have to have bloods taken every month of my life and depending if my imflammation levels are changing I get my meds and doses changed quite often so you end up having excess meds through no fault of your own

But more than a month of supplies? Sorry, I don't understand, especially as you have monthly blood tests.

Grow stuff for me it’s not a case of me stockpiling on purpose I have two illnessses where I have to have bloods taken every month of my life and depending if my imflammation levels are changing I get my meds and doses changed quite often so you end up having excess meds through no fault of your own

Not out of date keeping quiet.
according to dalrymple23 still in date.