DCC asks sub-committee to look into procedures related to disposal of unused medicines by general public
Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
Monday, September 30, 2024, 08:00 Hrs [IST]
The Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) has asked the sub-committee which prepared a draft guidance document on safe disposal of unused or expired medicines, to look into the procedures related to disposal of such medicines by the general public.
The DCC, in its 64th meeting held on June 19, 2024, said that the sub-committee it recommended in the 58th meeting in July, 2020, has submitted its report along with the guidance document on safe disposal of unused/expired medicine now and the DCC deliberated the guidelines and report in detail.
"The DCC agreed in principle with the report of the sub-committee and the guidance document and recommended that the sub-committee may also look into the procedures mentioned under the draft guidance document related to disposal of expired/unused medicine by the general public before finalisation," said the Committee.
The 58th DCC meeting considered the proposal for creation of drug disposal policy for public and support for "pharm ecovigilance", following a letter received from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) referring an article that contains a study aimed to assess the extent of exposure of active pharmaceutical compounds (APCs) in the hydrologic cycle in and around New Delhi.
The study analysed the presence of 28 drugs from different classes in the surface water. The study further revealed that apart from therapeutic usage, the main source of ecological exposure could be due to the disposal of unused and expired pharmaceutical compounds into landfills. It revealed the existence of antimicrobial agents and other APCs in the aquifers of Delhi with levels >0.1µg/L.
Placement of appropriate strategies is expected to reduce the
burden of APCs and other pollutants into the hydrologic cycle. It has also been stated that un-segregated drug disposal could be a reason for the emergence of drug resistance with special reference to antibiotics.
"Hence, drug disposal policy for public and hospitals where people can dispose of used, unused, expired drugs and drug formulation safely is required," observed the committee in 2020, while recommending the constitution of a sub-committee under chairmanship of State Drugs Controller, Kerala to examine the issue.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), has also raised the issue with the then health minister J P Nadda in January, 2019, requesting development of strict regulations and policies for disposal of pharmaceuticals.
With no system in place to direct the patients and clinics to send the medicines unused through a specified safe collection and disposal mechanism, such medicines usually are dumped in the trash cans or flushed down the sink or toilet. In addition to medicines, blood sugar testing strips, cotton and bandage materials as well as syringes and needles used for self-injection, for example, of insulin by the patient are also dumped in the trash cans, said the IPA in a letter to the then health minister.
"All medicines are chemicals and their improper disposal poses a serious threat to the environment and public health," said the letter signed by general secretary of IPA, Suresh Khanna.
"Each year there are tons of expired or unused medicines disposed of by households, hospitals, and manufacturers. The disposal of these medicines is not as per any particular guideline and these disposed of medicines ultimately enter water resources such as rivers and lakes through soil and landfills, eventually affecting aquatic life and entering the food cycle through fish and vegetables. Improperly disposed medicines could also get repacked and recycled to pose a direct threat to human health," it added.
The Association suggested steps on a war footing including policies and systems for segregation, collection and disposal of pharmaceuticals at the domestic as well as at specific stages of the pharmaceuticals distribution chain, monitoring of large scale disposal of unused pharmaceuticals by the manufacturers, development of nation-wide awareness on the ill effects of unsafe and inappropriate disposal of pharmaceuticals, and mechanisms to reduce unnecessary medicine purchases and implementation of responsible use of medicine.
The Association also suggested development of the concept of eco pharmacovigilance and strict implementation. The collection and safe disposal system for unused expired or unexpired medicines must be developed and implemented at the local government level, it added.
We hope that the guidance note will provide detailed procedures for the collection, storage, transportation, and disposal of such drugs, ensuring they are managed in a way to protect the environment and public health.
