What happens to medications after they leave the pharmacy?

In this episode of The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast, Ohio pharmacist Kim Newlove discusses why and how pharmacists should incorporate drug disposal education at prescription pick-up—before medications become a safety risk in the home.

Kim shares two practical approaches:

Passive education, such as signage at the pharmacy counter
Direct education, through brief counseling conversations

Read the FULL show notes on https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast

You'll also hear a real-world example of how pharmacists and students can make a long-term community impact by creating and maintaining county-wide drug take-back box lists.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why "beginning with the end in mind" matters in pharmacy workflow
What information to include on a drug disposal sign at the pick-up window
How to counsel patients on drug disposal without adding burden to your day
Why drug take-back boxes and events are critical for safety, diversion prevention, and environmental protection
Seven benefits of proper medication storage and disposal
How pharmacists and student pharmacists can support community-wide prevention efforts

This episode is ideal for pharmacists, student pharmacists, preceptors, and pharmacy leaders looking for realistic ways to improve patient education and public health outcomes.

Helpful Links & Resources:

DEA National Drug Take Back Program: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday
FDA Flush List: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-disposal-fdas-flush-list-certain-medicines
Wood County, Ohio Drug Take-Back Box List: https://www.wcadamh.org/guides

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Additional content - not mentioned in this episode

At most, there are 6 weekly episodes after episode 361. This is what's coming up:

Ep 362: December 26, drug pronunciation episode
Ep 363: January 2, Faith Community Discussions about Addiction + Justice
Ep 364: January 9, drug pronunciation episode
Ep 365: January 16, Moneyball 2.0
Ep 366: January 23, 6 Year Podcast Anniversary Show
Ep 367: January 30, possible bonus with Vance Brown, RPh

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Host Background: Kim Newlove has been an Ohio pharmacist since 2001 (BS Pharm, Chem Minor). Her experience includes hospital, retail, compounding, and behavioral health. She is also an author, voice actor (medical narrator and audiobook narrator), podcast host, and consultant (audio production and podcasting).

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Thank you for listening to episode 361 of The Pharmacist's Voice ® Podcast. If you know someone who would like this episode, please share it with them!

Drug Disposal Education at Prescription Pick-Up: Begin With the End in Mind