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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
CDSCO lists 17 drugs safe to flush to prevent harm from misuse at home
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has released a list of 17 medicines—including opioids such as fentanyl, tapentadol and buprenorphine—permitting the general public to flush them down the sink or toilet to prevent harm to people and pets in the home. The list is part of the central drug regulator's draft guidance document for the safe disposal of unused or expired drugs, aimed at preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and other public health risks. 'There is a small number of medicines that may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal with just one dose if they are used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed,' the CDSCO stated in a guidance document dated 26 May. The CDSCO added that the objective of the guidance document is to provide clear and comprehensive instructions, in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and other applicable laws, for the safe disposal of expired and unused drugs. Unscientific disposal of unused or expired medicines is considered one of the primary sources of environmental pollution, with carelessly discarded antibiotics seeping into soil and water bodies and eventually affecting human life. 'In an effort to tackle the unsafe disposal of unused drugs, state governments, in coordination with local bodies, may establish the methodology and facilities for the collection and disposal of unused or expired drugs according to the provisions of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016,' the document added. The draft guidance also details methods for the collection, storage, transport and disposal of 11 other types of expired or unused drug dosages and packaging, with separate instructions for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, hospitals and other stakeholders. These include anti-infectives, antineoplastics, radioactive drugs, and medicines in packaging such as ampoules, aerosol canisters and PVC materials, among others. The draft proposal for the safe disposal of unused and expired medicines comes five years after it was first placed at the 58th meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) of the CDSCO in July 2020. The committee had recommended constituting a sub-committee to examine the issue and prepare the guidance document.
News18
29-05-2025
- Health
- News18
Have Any Of These 17 Expired Medicines Lying Around? Flush Them & Don't Toss Them, Govt Says
Last Updated: On the 'flush list' in the guidelines issued are primarily powerful opioids and controlled substances If you have old or expired medicines at home, think twice before throwing them away. India's drug regulatory agency has issued new guidelines to help the public safely dispose of unused medicines. The guidelines recommend flushing certain drugs down the sink or toilet to prevent accidental harm to others, including pets. The 'flush list" includes 17 drugs, primarily powerful opioids and controlled substances such as fentanyl, fentanyl citrate, morphine sulfate, buprenorphine, diazepam, tramadol, methadone hydrochloride, and oxycodone. These substances can be fatal even in small doses if misused. They are typically used under medical supervision for pain management, mental health, or neurological disorders and carry a high risk of addiction, misuse, or accidental overdose, necessitating special disposal precautions. 'There is a small number of medicines that may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal with just one dose if they are used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed," the document states. It provides a list of expired, unwanted, or unused medicines containing specific active ingredients that the public should flush down the sink or toilet to prevent danger to people and pets at home. The 15-page guidance document includes directives for a select group of medicines that are particularly dangerous if accidentally ingested by someone other than the prescribed user. These medicines are listed under the 'flush list," and the public is advised to flush these drugs to prevent accidental harm. This list is dynamic and may be updated periodically based on emerging risks and safety data. To assist the public in disposing of expired drugs, state drug control departments and local chemists and druggists' associations are encouraged to launch 'drug take-back programmes". These initiatives will establish designated sites where citizens can safely drop off old medications. The collected drugs will be responsibly disposed of by registered external agencies under the supervision of the state drug licensing authority. 'Unscientific disposal of unused or expired drugs is considered one of the primary reasons for environmental pollution," the document explains. Initially, state drug control departments and concerned chemists and druggists' associations may jointly launch drug take-back programmes at designated locations where people can drop off expired or unused drugs from their homes. These drugs will then be disposed of by the associations, with notification to the state drug licensing authority and with the help of registered or licensed external agencies under Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016. These steps are significant in combating pharmaceutical pollution and ensuring public safety, responding to growing concerns over the environmental impact of improper drug disposal. According to the guidance document released by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), unscientific disposal of expired drugs is a key contributor to environmental pollution. 'The safe and proper disposal of expired/unused medicines is crucial for protecting the environment and public health. Improper disposal of these drugs may be hazardous to public health, animal health, and the environment. It is also a significant factor in the growth of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)," Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, the drug controller general of India (DCGI), wrote to states and union territories while introducing the guidelines. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 29, 2025, 07:07 IST
Mint
09-05-2025
- Health
- Mint
Take-back sites, flushing proposed in India's expired drug disposal plan
New Delhi: The government is developing a set of guidelines for the safe disposal of expired or unused medicines to mitigate risks to public health and the environment, and prevent their potential diversion for resale. This move follows India's top drug regulator —Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)— receiving representation about unsafe disposal and sumping of unused and expired pharmaceutical compounds into landfills, including in Delhi. A guidance note prepared by the government, and seen by Mint, has suggested that 17 unused or expired medicines containing active ingredients such as Fentany, Fentanyl Citrate, Morphine Sulfate, Buprenorphine can be flushed down the sink or toilet to help prevent danger to people and pets at home by the general public other than retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers. Active ingredients, or active pharmaceutical ingredients, in drug manufacturing are the substances that make the medicines work. They have a direct effect on the body to treat or prevent illness. Also read: Online pharmacies, chemists at odds over home delivery of medicines as Centre mulls stopping the practise It has also suggested 'drug take-back sites' under which state governments in coordination with local bodies may establish the methodology and facility for the collection and disposal of unused or expired drugs as per the provisions of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016. 'Initially, state Drugs Control Departments and concerned Chemists and Druggists' Association may jointly launch 'drug take-back' site or program at designate 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 Licensing Authority with the help of registered/licensed external agencies as registered under Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016," the guidance note states. 'The guidance note has been drafted detailing SOPs for safe disposal of unused or expired medicines describing the method and responsibilities of the various stakeholders such as general public, retailers, wholesaler/ distributor/ stockist, manufacturer, medical institutions and drug inspectors," a government official said. This entire effort is being made to minimize the environmental impact and mitigate public health risk including the antimicrobial resistance, the official added. Also read: India should permit easier access to over-the-counter medicines Queries sent to the Union health ministry remained unanswered. In India, there is no proper channel to utilize the unused medicines. Some of the western countries like the US have already implemented the drug take-back system in their national healthcare system. Expired drugs refers to drugs that have crossed the expiry, or use-by, date mentioned on the label. Further, unused drugs refer to the medications that have not been used by the individual for whom they were prescribed or purchased. Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, managing director, Aakash Healthcare, said that unsafe disposal of pharmaceutical products and its unwanted exposure can decrease fertility and increase the risk of cancer, and lead to antibiotic-resistance causing illnesses and deaths. Apart from the responsibilities of the general public, the guidance note has defined the methodology of disposing medicines by manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and hospitals and drug inspectors. The guidance note has indicated that as per the revised Schedule 'M' under Drugs Rule, 1945, provision shall be made by the manufacturers for proper and safe storage of waste materials awaiting disposal. Also read: Trump's worst ideas since tariffs The guidance note has been prepared by a sub-committee under the directions of the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC), a panel that advises the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) on matters related to drug regulations and policies. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Applications says that the Indian pharmaceutical market is estimated to be about ₹1.8 trillion and about ₹270 crore worth of medicines are wasted once they are past their shelf life.
