It should be clearly visible from the pharmacy counter and in a location where it can be secured to the floor or wall using the predrilled holes.
No. Ultimate users (people who lawfully possess a drug for personal use or for members of their household, including animals) must be able to access the drop box.
The HEALing Communities Study can provide assistance during the study period. Contact the Disposal Coordinator, Laura Stinson, at laura.stinson@uky.edu or 859-338-7880.
If you have questions for MedSafe or need assistance after the study period has ended, contact Todd Cluxton at tcluxton@sharpsinc.com or use any of the methods of contact available on the MedSafe website https://www.sharpsinc.com/medsafe/ or https://www.sharpsinc.com/contact.
The drop box will be in an area that is monitored. It is constructed of steel and bolted to a permanent structure, making removing the drop box very difficult. The small, one-way drop door will be locked when the pharmacy is not open. The larger door has 2 locks with separate keys. Two pharmacy staff members must be present to open the larger door and change the inner liner. There is a step log that must be signed at each step of changing the inner liner. All of these features help prevent theft and/or diversion.
The inner liner should be changed when it is full. The frequency will depend on how often the drop box is used. We estimate that one liner for the 38-gallon receptacle should last 4 to 6 months.
Liquid medications less than 4 ounces in a ziptop baggie lined with paper towels can be placed in the drop box.
There is no cost to become an authorized collector. The new certificate that says "Collector" is available to print as soon as the update is complete.
No. Ultimate users (people who lawfully possess a drug for personal use or for members of their household, including animals) must be able to access the drop box. Individuals can be directed to the drop box, but pharmacy staff must not handle or place the individuals’ medication into the drop box.
Prescription medications
OTC medications
Liquid medications less than 4 ounces in a ziptop baggie lined with paper towels
This information is provided on the MedSafe drop box.
Illegal (Schedule I drugs)
Needles/syringes
Devices
Batteries
Aerosols
Inhalers
Chemicals
Mercury-containing devices
Radiopharmaceuticals
Liquid antineoplastic agents
This information is provided on the MedSafe drop box.
This information is included in the HCS Disposal Guide or on the Pharmacy Resources page under Other Useful Links. A link to the full regulations is here.
Yes. Both controlled (Schedules II-V) and non-controlled substances can be disposed of in the drop box.
The drop box will remain at the pharmacy when the study period ends. We ask that pharmacies maintain the drop box and continue to provide a safe way for their community to dispose of prescription opioids and other medication. HCS can help your pharmacy think about ways to sustain the drop box.
When the inner liner is full, authorized persons can safely remove the liner from the collection receptacle, seal it, and return it via common carrier. Inner liners are treated by incineration, rendering the pharmaceuticals non-retrievable per the DEA's destruction standard.
No. This is a one way door. It must be locked when the pharmacy is not open.
Each liner is serialized for tracking. SharpsTracer allows customers to track and verify the receipt and treatment of returned materials. HCS staff has access to this account and can verify that each liner has been received at the facility and that it has been destroyed.
No pharmacy inventory drugs are allowed in the receptacle.
No. Medication deposited in the drop box shall not be counted, sorted, inventoried, or otherwise handled.
There is no set time period for checking the liner, though many pharmacists with drop boxes say you should check more often than you think you need to. Setting a reminder can be helpful to avoid overfilling the inner liner.
Store inner liners in a convenient location. Make sure that pharmacy staff is aware of the storage location. Keep in mind that the inner liners are stored flat in the 4-pack. The 4-pack may be difficult to find if stored under or behind other items.
MedSafe recommends 3/8" bolts with washers. You will need at least 4.
The account for the drop box is under UK Research Foundation. If you are asked for the customer number, it is 208878. At the end of the study, the drop box will be transferred to an account for your pharmacy. Please contact MedSafe for details.