State of Washington Enacts Statewide Drug Disposal Law

On March 22, 2018, the State of Washington officially enacted the first statewide drug take-back program in the country. Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1047 into law, which establishes a single, uniform, statewide system of regulation for safe and secure collection and disposal of medicines through a uniform drug "take-back" program operated and funded by drug manufacturers. The Act goes into effect on June 7, 2018, and requires “covered manufacturers” to submit their proposed programs by July 1, 2019. Also by July 2, 2019, Washington’s Department of Health (DOH) must determine its own costs for administration, oversight, and enforcement, as well as set fees and adopt rules establishing program proposal requirements. The estimated costs to pharmaceutical companies is less than one percent of the annual sales made in Washington markets, though time will tell. Covered Drugs Under the Act, only “covered drugs” are part of the take-back program. The Act further defines “covered drugs” as those that are both prescription and non-prescription, brand name and generic, drugs for veterinary use, and drugs in medical device and combination products. Included in that broad definition are drugs administered via ingestion, injection, and inhalation. Excluded from the Act are “exposed” needles and sharps, as well as “used drug products that are medical wastes.” Further, “covered drugs” are those that “covered entities” no longer want and that the...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs