Question

A patient's spouse passed away and she has a box of medications she wishes to dispose of safely. What is the best way to dispose of the medications?

A)return them to the pharmacy
B)keep them inside container

Answer 1

The safest method to dispose of a deceased spouse's medications is to return them to the pharmacy where take-back programs exist. This prevents environmental pollution and misuse of the medications.

Step-by-step explanation:

When dealing with the disposal of medications after a loved one has passed away, it is important to do so safely and responsibly. The best way to dispose of the medications is to return them to the pharmacy. Pharmacies often have take-back programs where they will properly dispose of unused or expired drugs.

This avoids the risk of environmental pollution, which can occur when these substances are thrown in the household waste or flushed down the toilet or sink, a common yet unsafe practice seen in up to 24% of cases for liquid pharmaceuticals and 7% for tablets or ointments in some countries. If a take-back program is not available, contacting local waste management to inquire about safe disposal methods is recommended.