New guidance on safe practice in the disposal of Controlled Drugs
A new publication from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society sets out key points to enable pharmacists to dispose of Controlled Drugs safely, effectively and within the law.
Entitled “Guidance for pharmacists on the safe destruction of Controlled
Drugs: England, Scotland and Wales”, the new document has been
produced to ensure that the destruction of CDs within pharmacies is undertaken
safely and in accordance with the requirements of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001, as amended.
The new guidance is also designed to
help pharmacists comply with the relevant Waste Regulations in order
to minimise the pollution and health risks that may be caused by incorrect
disposal or destruction of CDs.
Some elements of the new guidance are not statutory requirements but
are included because the Society considers them to be good practice that
pharmacists should follow wherever practicable.
The following are among the main points covered in the guidance:
• CDs returned from care homes In England and Wales, pharmacists are
not able to accept waste medicines, including CDs, from care homes that
provide
nursing care. In Scotland, the Scottish Parliament has recently approved
legislation that allows pharmacies to
accept a range of waste, including CDs, from all care homes.
• CDs returned by patients Patient-returned CDs must not be reused. To
avoid storage problems and an increased security risk, they should be
destroyed as soon as possible. The Society advises pharmacists to keep
a record of their return (not in the CD register) and destruction. Pharmacists
are currently permitted to destroy patient-returned CDs without the need
for an authorised witness. However, the Society advises them to ensure
that the destruction is witnessed by another member of staff, preferably
another pharmacist or a pharmacy technician.
• Unwanted pharmacy stock Pharmacy stock of obsolete, expired or unwanted
Schedule 2 CDs not returned by patients can only be destroyed in the
presence of an authorised person. The guidance includes the full list
of authorised witnesses for each country.
• Disposal of waste medicines All medicines should be disposed of in
a safe and appropriate manner. Medicines should be disposed of in relevant
waste containers that are sent for incineration. They should not be disposed
of in the sewerage system.
• Waste management licences Having considered the risks posed by destruction
of CDs in pharmacies, the Environment Agency, which covers England and
Wales, has taken the view that pharmacies should not be expected to obtain
a waste management licence for denaturing CDs, which it sees as a low
risk activity. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is currently
considering the issue in relation to proportionality and risk and is
expected to reach a decision later in the year.
• Guidance on specific formulations The guidance includes specific information
about the destruction of solid dose formulations, liquid dose formulations,
parenteral formulations, Fentanyl patches and aerosol formulations.
The guidance has been developed by the Society in collaboration with
other pharmacy bodies, including the Company Chemists Association, Community
Pharmacy Wales, the National Pharmacy Association, the Pharmaceutical
Services Negotiating Committee and the Scottish Pharmaceutical General
Council.
The content of the document will be reviewed later in the year following
the receipt of clarification on some issues and the appointment
of accountable officers by health trusts and boards (PJ, 9 December 2006, p707).
The six-page document can be downloaded via the Controlled
Drugs page within the “Use of medicines” section
of the Society’s website. Pharmacists
without access to the internet can obtain a copy of the guidance from
Heidi Wright, Royal Pharmaceutical Society,
1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN (tel 020 7572 2602). Queries about
the guidance should also be addressed to Ms Wright.
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