KNOWLEDGE AND DISPOSAL PRACTICE OF UNUSED AND EXPIRED MEDICINES

Introduction: Improper disposal of unused medications has been a public health problem, as unused drug adversely effects on health and environment. Most medicine users are not aware of the safe disposal of unused or expired medicines. Aim: The study was to know the current knowledge of the disposal practices of unused and expired medicines. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey, conducted a structured questionnaire. The study conforms to STROBE guidelines for cross sectional study. Results: A total of 540 valid questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 96.29%. 520 subjects satisfying both inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study were taken for data analysis. Conclusion: The study observation concluded that organizing seminars by government-regulated drug administration, environmental scientists, physicians and pharmacists might play a pivotal role in raising awareness in the community. ​Further, awareness under Program on Removal of Unused Drugs (PROUD), “give your unused/expired medicines a proper home” and other courses on safe drug disposal practices can be a good option to educate the nation’s future leaders.