Willingness of patients to use unused medication returned to the pharmacy by another patient: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

ObjectivesRedispensing by pharmacies of medication unused by another patient could contribute to optimal use of healthcare resources. This study aimed to assess patient willingness to use medication returned by another patient and patient characteristics associated with this willingness.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingA total of 41 community and 5 outpatient pharmacies in the Netherlands.ParticipantsTotal of 2215 pharmacy visitors.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPatients completed a questionnaire regarding their willingness to use medication returned unused to the pharmacy by another patient, assuming quality was guaranteed. Secondary outcome measures included patient sociodemographic characteristics that were associated with patient willingness, analysed using logistic regression analysis and reported as ORs with 95% CIs.ResultsOf the 2215 patients (mean (SD) age 50.6(18.0) years; 61.4% female), 61.2% were willing to use medication returned unused to the pharmacy by another patient. Patients who were unwilling mostly found it risky. Men were more willing to use returned medication (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6), as did patients with a high educational level (OR 1.8 95% CI 1.3 to 2.5), those who regularly use 1–3 medications (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7), those who returned medication to the pharmacy for disposal (OR 1.5 95% CI 1.0 to 2.3) and those who ever had unused medication themselves (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6)). Patients with non-Dutch cultural background were less willing to use returned medication (OR 0.395% CI 0.3 to 0.4)).ConclusionsWhen quality is guaranteed, a substantial proportion of patients are willing to use medication returned unused to the pharmacy by another patient. This suggests that implementation of redispensing may be supported by patients.

Enhancing Pharmaceutical Packaging through a Technology Ecosystem to Facilitate the Reuse of Medicines and Reduce Medicinal Waste

“…Previous studies have shown that patients and stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector generally accept the concept of reusing dispensed medicines as long as certain criteria are met. Bekker et al [17] investigated patients' willingness to use recycled medicines, McRae et al [18] looked at the same issue through the healthcare professionals' perspective, and Bekker et al [16] went further to collect the views from all related stakeholders. A more systematic analysis of human behaviors for reuse of medicines in the UK was reported by Alhamad et al [19], and the three beliefs based on the TPB were studied using a thematic analysis of the associated attitudes after interviewing the local community.…”

“…The reuse of medicines is a behavior that can be studied using behavioral sciences [16,17]. Within this perspective, technologies are essential to facilitate attitude change by validating that the medicines returned back to pharmacies have maintained their quality and are safe to use [18,19].…”

“…Similarly, it could be argued that the application of technology could influence people to engage in medication reuse by addressing the relevant determinants of intentions to take part in such a scheme in the future. Qualitative studies, as well as the application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) have previously analyzed intentions and actions towards the returning and re-dispensing of medicines [16][17][18][19], and there are technologies that can help shape user behaviors towards the goal of medicines reuse.…”

Enabling Medicine Reuse Using a Digital Time Temperature Humidity Sensor in an Internet of Pharmaceutical Things Concept

“…According to previous qualitative research [5][6][7][8][9], the major requirements for reusing dispensed medicines can be classified into three categories: quality, safety and others (see Table 1 for details). Applying IoT technologies to pharmaceutical packaging may be a solution to facilitate the concept of medicine reuse [9].…”

“…Previous qualitative studies reveal that stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector generally accept the concept of medicine reuse if certain quality and safety requirements are met [5][6][7]. The activities of returning and reusing prescribed medicines are human behaviours, and Alhamad et al [8] reported similar requirements that could influence stakeholders' beliefs based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).…”