How should expired medications be handled?

Expired medications should be disposed of according to pharmacy policy and regulations to ensure compliance with safety and legal standards. This approach typically involves following established procedures for proper disposal, which may include returning medications to a designated reverse distributor, utilizing authorized take-back programs, or incineration according to environmental guidelines.

Handling expired medications in this manner helps prevent potential misuse or accidental ingestion, protects the environment from contamination, and ensures that the pharmacy adheres to legal requirements governing the disposal of pharmaceutical products. These regulations are in place to safeguard public health and maintain safe pharmacy practice.

The other handling methods are not appropriate: throwing medications in regular trash can lead to accidental exposure or environmental harm, returning to the manufacturer without proper documentation can violate regulations, and keeping expired medications for possible reuse poses significant health risks.