India's drug regulator wants you to flush these 17 expired drugs immediately. Here's why

How do you dispose of expired medicines? Do you just toss them in the bin? If so, India’s apex drug regulatory body has a warning for you.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has released a list of 17 drugs which should be flushed down the toilet rather than thrown in the dustbin if they are expired or unused. The body warns that if not discarded properly, these drugs could be harmful to people and the environment.

We take a look.

Which drugs should be flushed, not thrown out?

The CDSCO has listed 17 drugs, mostly narcotic medicines, that should be flushed down the drain and not dumped in the dustbin.

These include fentanyl, tramadol, tapentadol, oxycodone and several other painkiller drugs as well as Diazepam, an anti-anxiety medication.

What’s the rationale behind it?

According to the CDSCO, these 17 medicines could be harmful and even fatal, with only one dose, if they are taken by anyone other than the person for whom they were prescribed.

The apex drug regulatory body said in its Guidance Document on Disposal of Expired/Unused Drugs that safe and proper disposal of expired or unused medicines is needed for protecting the environment and public health, reported PTI.

More from Health

Why are orcas gifting food to humans across the oceans? Monsoon fury in Himachal: 69 dead, dozens missing as landslides and floods wreak havoc

It said that if these listed drugs are kept unwanted, unused or expired at home, they should be flushed down the sink or toilet to prevent danger to people and pets.

Expired drugs have crossed the expiry date on the label, while unused medicines are those that have not been used by the person for whom it was prescribed, the CDSCO said in its guidelines.

“Improper disposal of expired/unused drugs is detrimental to human, animal and environment and may be hazardous if it leads to contamination of water supplies or local sources used by nearby communities or wildlife. Expired drugs may come into the hands of scavengers and children if a landfill is insecure,” its document said.

Editor’s Picks

1

Why paracetamol, antiacid, and other common Indian drugs have failed quality tests 2

India cracking down on antibiotics overuse. Here’s why it matters

The regulatory body warned that pilfering from a stockpile of waste drugs or during sorting could lead to expired drugs reaching the market for resale and misuse.

However, the CDSCO underlined that for medications that are commonly used by people, there is a need for scientific disposal to prevent environmental pollution.

For this, it recommended that state drug control departments and the chemists and druggists’ association jointly launch the ‘drug take back’ initiative under which people can return unused or expired drugs.

“Initially, state drugs control departments and concerned chemists and druggists’ associations may jointly launch ‘drug take back’ site programme at designated locations, where people can drop expired or unused drugs from their homes and that can be disposed finally by such associations under intimation to concerned state drug licencing authority with the help of registered/licenced external agencies,” the document said.

ALSO READ: Wegovy launched in India: How the breakthrough drug triggers weight loss

How poor disposal of drugs harms environment

Several reports and studies have shown how unscientific disposal of unused or unexpired drugs is polluting the environment and impacting human health.

A 2018 study by AIIMS’ ocular pharmacology division found that drugs thrown in garbage bins ended up in the environment and contributed to the development of multidrug-resistant pathogens. The findings were based on the analysis of water samples from seven places in the Yamuna River, 35 borewells in Delhi-NCR and the water percolating from waste at the Ghazipur landfill site.

The researchers discovered traces of antibiotics and other drugs on the surface of the Yamuna River and areas close to the Ghazipur landfill.

The CDSCO’s guidelines are aimed at reducing environmental pollution by the discarded drugs and mitigating risk to public health.

“The government’s move to formulate a guideline on disposal of unused or expired drugs is commendable indeed. We also plan to develop a pamphlet on how to dispose of drugs that will be given to all patients while being discharged from the hospital to create more awareness on the subject,” Devarati Majumdar, director and chief of pharmacy at Max Healthcare, told Times of India (TOI).

“Expired drugs are essentially chemical waste," a senior environmental health expert told News18, pointing out that they seep into groundwater and rivers, impacting fish and plants, and eventually humans. “This is why a nationwide awareness campaign and strict disposal protocols are now essential," the person added.

With inputs from agencies