Is your medicine cabinet more like a museum?

With many of us having built up a collection of medicines over time, pharmacies across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly invite you to call in with your unused, unneeded or expired medicines throughout this month, so they can dispose of them for you in the right way.

The new ‘medicines amnesty’ campaign has been launched by Community Pharmacy Cornwall, with support from Cornwall Council Public Health and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, and is running for the whole of March.

Whilst spring is an ideal time to declutter, there are many other important reasons for taking action to clear out your medicines cupboard:

To keep everyone safe

Having unused medicines at home can be a danger and poses a risk to vulnerable family members and people you care for, including children and pets.

Keeping old prescriptions ‘just in case’ increases the risk of taking the wrong medication. They also should never be shared with anyone else, as medicines are prescribed for the patient only.

To protect the environment

Please never throw medicines away in the bin or flush them down the toilet, as this pollutes water systems and harms wildlife.

To help keep antibiotics working well

Improper use or disposal of antibiotics can make bacteria become resistant, which in turn makes infections harder to treat. By returning antibiotics that are old or no longer needed, you can help to keep working when you really need them.

Drew Creek, chief operating officer at Community Pharmacy Cornwall said:

“Many of us have unused or expired medications at home, and it’s vital that we dispose of them safely instead of holding onto them. During March, all of Cornwall’s pharmacies are hosting the ‘medicines amnesty’ where our teams will gladly accept all unneeded or expired medicines from you.

“Having unused medication at home poses a risk to others and increases the chance of taking the wrong or expired medicines. Let’s work together to protect our loved ones and the environment by bringing these in to the pharmacies this month.”

Dr Eunan O’Neill, interim director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said:

“It’s getting to that time of the year when we think about having a good spring clean so why not include clearing out your medicine cabinet at the same time? It’s easy to build up a stash of medication over time but taking old medicines, or ones that weren’t prescribed for you, can pose a health risk.

“Equally, it’s really important to dispose of them properly so why not take advantage of the amnesty this month and drop your old and unused medication into your local pharmacy?”

Dr Chris Reid, chief medical officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board said:

“This is yet another reason to love your local pharmacy. I encourage everyone to support this great project. If you have any medicines that are out of date or no longer needed, now is the perfect time to take them to any pharmacy for safe and proper disposal.”

You can find out more on the Pharmacy Cornwall website.