Global medication waste management practices: challenges and opportunities in developing countries

Bataduwaarachchi, Vipula R; Weeraratne, Chamari L.

doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20164081

Cited by 15 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Medicinal waste, synonymous with pharmaceutical waste and unused or expired medicines includes articles intended to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases in humans or animals [7,8]. In recent decades, this kind of waste has been extensively studied [8][9][10]. There are currently more than 3000 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) on the EU market [9] that are authorized, and more than 4000 are available worldwide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This waste is eliminated in an improper manner worldwide, since people choose the easiest and quickest way to get rid of unnecessary medicines, for example, they throw them in the garbage, down the toilet or in the sink [34][35][36]. In recent years, the issue related to drug disposal, and to the development and implementation of efficient collection strategies, has been an important concern at the European level and has generated numerous researches [8,37]. In Germany, a pharmaceutical waste take-over system was set up in 1995, and local pharmacies were used as collection points [38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The results obtained from this survey can provide a reference point for competent authorities in developing and implementing a take-back program for waste medicine whose efficiency is superior to the existing ones. Preliminary survey investigations on existing situations can certainly help to identify existing punctual problems at the institutional and national level [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aspects Regarding the Pharmaceutical Waste Management in Romania

et al. 2018

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The issue of drug disposal, as well as the development and implementation of efficient collection strategies, represents an important concern at the highest European level. This research looks into the factors that could have an impact on the efficiency of pharmacies in collecting and disposing the medicinal waste of the population. There were 521 pharmacists from all over the country who filled in a questionnaire on their opinion/attitude related to the system of collecting and disposing the pharmaceutical waste of the population. Of the surveyed pharmacists, 16% work in pharmacies that do not collect unused/expired drugs from the population, and nearly 33% of those investigated have refused, at least once, to take the unused medicines from the people. Pharmacists' most important reasons for refusing to collect the pharmaceutical waste were the lack of procedure, incomplete legislation, exceeding the amount contracted with the operators, and high costs. Results show that pharmacies in Romania face several deficiencies in the pharmaceutical waste collection services. The lack of implemented programs has contributed considerably to lower standards of pharmaceutical waste management in Romania. This study is the first research on this topic in Romania, a country where the management of drug-based waste generated by the population is at the beginning. The results shown in this survey can provide a reference point for competent authorities in developing and implementing a take-back program for waste medicine whose efficiency is superior to the existing ones.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aspects Regarding the Pharmaceutical Waste Management in Romania

et al. 2018

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“…Considering how pharmaceuticals impact on the environment at both the manufacturer and individual level is important [47] for example, ensuring responsible use of medicines to reduce wastage, managing the safe disposal of unused / unwanted / expired medicines, and the use of plastic-free packaging options. This helps to safeguard sustainable practice and overall responsibility to uptake methods to reduce the environmental impact of medicines [48]. Disposal of medicines is also costly with some countries facing fees charged by regulators to dispose medicines, or high costs to use incinerators to safely dispose pharmaceuticals [49].…”

Section: Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Together we unite: the role of the Commonwealth in achieving universal health coverage through pharmaceutical care amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Chan

Rutter²,

Ashiru‐Oredope³

et al. 2020

J of Pharm Policy and Pract

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The world currently faces unprecedented health challenges as COVID-19 poses a huge threat to health systems, economies and societies as we know it. The events of the current COVID-19 pandemic have further emphasised existing issues within our health systems. There is no better time than now to come together in global solidarity to tackle these evolving threats of COVID-19 pandemic. The Commonwealth is an ideally placed network to tackle these global health challenges, with its wide-reaching networks of governmental, non-governmental and civil society organisations across all continents. Although the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) originally scheduled to take place in Kigali in Rwanda 22-27 June 2020 has been postponed in view of COVID-19, Commonwealth country discussions are continuing, centred on the CHOGM key theme of 'Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming', and five subthemes of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Innovation; Trade; Environment; Governance and the Rule of Law; and Youth. The planned CHOGM and Commonwealth itself provides all members a timely platform to consider innovative ways to connect, innovate and transform healthcare to meet the needs of their populations. This commentary considers these five CHOGM subthemes and how member nations can be supported to achieve universal health coverage through optimising medicines use and outcomes, in the midst of a global pandemic in line with the global health agenda.

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“…A number of hazards and risks generated by medical wastes are shown below. Contact with hazardous medical wastes may cause illness or injury [11,12]. The risks represented by the medical wastes are caused by the following characteristics: contain infectious agents, are genotoxic, contain toxic or hazardous chemical or pharmaceutical products and can be radioactive.…”

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confidence: 99%

On the Reduction of the Biological Danger of Environmental Contamination by Using a “Complete and Reusable Thoracic Drainage System”

et al. 2019

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A clean environment is essential for human health and well-being. A significant share of total waste is represented by hospital waste that is produced in increasing quantities by sanitary units, with the appearance of the disposable tools. Taking into account the unfavourable environmental impact, the biological danger that this waste represents, and the restrictive legislation imposed by the European Union, urgent measures are needed to reduce their quantities. In this regard, the paper refers to the design of a completely reusable thoracic drainage system and to the positive implications that this system has on the amount of hospital waste. The research starts with the presentation of the medical system from Romania, continues with the classification of the hospital waste, then highlights the dangers and the risks caused by this and analyzes the impact on the sensitive groups. Furthermore, the paper presents the disposable bicameral and tricameral thoracic drainage device systems used in hospitals and then the advantages of using a completely reusable thoracic drainage system. The paper introduces also a research method based on the “opinion questioning”. The method uses a questionnaire with 23 items, addressed to physicians, because, despite restrictive legislation related to hospital waste management, this is not always respected. Each participant of the study works in a different hospital so that the questioned sample is representative.

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Global medication waste management practices: challenges and opportunities in developing countries

Cited by 15 publications

References 11 publications

Aspects Regarding the Pharmaceutical Waste Management in Romania

Aspects Regarding the Pharmaceutical Waste Management in Romania

Together we unite: the role of the Commonwealth in achieving universal health coverage through pharmaceutical care amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

On the Reduction of the Biological Danger of Environmental Contamination by Using a “Complete and Reusable Thoracic Drainage System”

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