Spring Drug Take-Back Day collects record 1,000 pounds of medications
Penn State Health collected a record 1,012.4 pounds of unwanted, unneeded or expired medications and more than 20 sharps containers for safe disposal during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 22.
“We participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days twice a year to help our community members properly discard medications they no longer need,” said Deborah Addo, Penn State Health chief operating officer. “This reduces the risk of addiction by keeping medications out of the hands of people who may misuse them and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses.”
The health system accepted the medications and sharps containers at four locations – Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health Medical Group practices in Mount Joy, Palmyra and Nyes Road, Harrisburg.
Penn State Health began participating in National Prescription Drug Take-Back events in 2015 and has since collected more than 6,000 pounds of unwanted and expired medications and more than 250 large sharps containers full of used needles and syringes.
The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center provides drug return boxes throughout the year in partnership with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. People can drop off medications and sharps during regular business hours at three locations on the Hershey Medical Center campus:
- 30 Hope Drive, inside Entrance B
- Penn State Cancer Institute, near the pharmacy by the main entrance
- University Physician Center lobby, Door 4, near the pharmacy
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