TTUHSC to Host Lubbock’s Spring Medication Cleanout™

• By Suzanna Cisneros
• March 31, 2023
• Campus Life

To provide a safe and environmentally friendly way for people to properly dispose of expired, unwanted or unnecessary medications, the Texas Panhandle Poison Center (TPPC), managed by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, will host Lubbock’s Spring Medication Cleanout™ event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 22 (Saturday) at the Texas Tech Physicians Medical Pavilion, 3601 Fourth St.

Medication Cleanout™ employs a drive-thru, drop-off format that allows residents to conveniently dispose of their medications without leaving their cars. The program also provides disposal services for syringes and sharps. Yard signs will be posted to help drivers locate the drive-thru path.

“Old medications become potential sources of poisoning to young children or may be accessed by teens experimenting with drugs,” TPPC Managing Director Jeanie Shawhart, Pharm.D., said. “They also pose a hazard for adults and elderly as they increase the risk of choosing the wrong bottle or taking medications that are no longer required.”

Medications should be left in their original containers. Because of environmental restrictions, only medications from households can be accepted. Medications from clinics, pharmacies and other businesses are not allowed.

“Taking a few minutes to clean out your medication could be a life-saving task because poisoning, including medication overdose, is the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the country,” Shawhart, who also is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, stressed. “Now is the time to clean out your medicine cabinets and remove these items from your homes to reduce the risk of poisoning by medications.”

Volunteers providing support for the event include staff from TPPC, the Texas Tech University (TTU) Police Department and the Department of Community, Family and Addiction Services at the TTU College of Human Sciences. Pre-pharmacy students from TTU and students from the TTUHSC Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing also are volunteering for the event. For more information, call (806) 414-9495 or visit MedicationCleanout.com.