Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center Partners with Local Law Enforcement To Take-Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs

Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center, in partnership with the Los Angeles Police Department, is encouraging community members to participate in the 14th “National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” on Saturday, October 28, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Medical Offices 3. The service is free, easy, and anonymous.

“Events like this offer health care providers and law enforcement an opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of properly storing and disposing of prescription medication,” said Jane Ryang, PharmD, area pharmacy director, Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce the number of people who misuse, abuse or overdose from these powerful drugs.”

Prescription drug take-back programs address vital public safety and public health issues while providing local residents with a convenient way to safely dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused medicines. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse

“This program has been very successful at reducing the risk posed by unwanted medicines,” said Dr. Ryang. “In April, during our last Drug Take-Back Event, we collected more than 170 pounds of unwanted medications. By properly disposing of prescription drugs, we reduce the risk of abuse, accidental poisonings and environmental damage posed by such medications, especially controlled prescription drugs such as painkillers, tranquilizers and stimulants.”

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin) killed more than 33,000 people in 2015 alone. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from home medicine cabinets.

People unable to participate on October 28 can properly dispose of unwanted medications at drug disposal kiosks in Kaiser Permanente facilities throughout Southern California, or at local law enforcement agencies.

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Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 11.8 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to share.kaiserpermanente.org.