TPPC Concludes Spring Medication Cleanout® Cycle
The Texas Panhandle Poison Center (TPPC), hosted by the TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, recently conducted its 2019 Spring Medication Cleanout® cycle with collections in Amarillo, Abilene and Lubbock. The collections provide a way for residents to remove unwanted or unused medications from homes, schools and the streets by safely disposing of them in a free, legal and environmentally sound manner.
The biannual collection cycle got underway March 23 at the TTUHSC Amarillo campus, where volunteers saw more than 500 cars drop off 1,650 pounds of medications and 249.5 pounds of sharps. At the April 13 collection in Abilene, approximately 200 cars brought in 652.5 pounds of medications and 81.5 pounds of sharps.
The Lubbock collection coincided with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s April 27 National Medication Take Back Day. TPPC volunteers in Lubbock collected 691 pounds of medication and 90 pounds of sharps from 209 cars.
The spring collections marked the Medication Cleanout® program’s 10-year anniversary. Since the effort began, TPPC has collected approximately 48,200 pounds of medications and 3,407.5 pounds of sharps for proper disposal.
TPPC Managing Director Jaramillo-Stametz, Pharm.D., said she initially thought the Medication Cleanout® collections would be a temporary, but she’s learned that TPPC is providing a important community service that is needed on an on-going basis.
“It’s encouraging that residents are working to ensure that their homes and neighborhoods are safer by removing unused medications from their homes,” Jaramillo-Stametz said. “The events also give students of various health professions the opportunity to serve their communities as volunteers and also to see firsthand the enormity of the issue with the accumulation of both prescription and over-the-counter medications in the home. As we work to gain control of the opioid epidemic in our country, we also are learning the downstream effects of tighter regulations on substances such as hydrocodone.”
Related Stories
A Rite of Passage for Next Generation of Physicians
Students in TTUHSC's School of Medicine Class of 2028 received their first white coat and pledged their commitment to the medical profession at the White Coat Ceremony Friday (July 26) at the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
As spring approaches, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening. Whether it’s a flower garden they desire or a vegetable garden want to have, they begin planning what they’ll plant and what they need to do to ensure a successful garden.
Adopt a Growth Mindset for a Better Life
A “growth mindset” accepts that our intelligence and talents can develop over time, and a person with that mindset understands that intelligence and talents can improve through effort and learning.
Recent Stories
The “Happiest” Time of the Year: Grief and the Holidays
David Pfaff, Ph.D., LPC, is core faculty for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at TTUHSC and discussed grief during the holidays.
Das Selected as Fellow by National Academy of Inventors
Hiranmoy Das, Ph.D., a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the organization announced Dec. 10.
Navigating Family Stress During the Holiday Season
Nicole Noble, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, offered insights to help manage difficult family dynamics during this time of year.