PHM-01 - Trash the Stash: Safe Opioid Disposal

How many times has a patient told you they have a stash of opioids at home or want to keep their unused opioids for a rainy day? Medicine cabinets and drawers all across the country are filled with unused opioids. Most Americans do not know the serious risks of keeping unused opioids in their homes. Even fewer know how to dispose of unused opioids properly. As part of a continued effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic, there should be a greater emphasis on counseling and encouraging patients to properly dispose of their unused opioids to reduce the risk of accidental or intentional misuse. In this session, we will explore various federally recommended opioid disposal methods and will highlight data and lessons learned from a national drug disposal pilot conducted within the Veteran Health Administration. A single opportunity is all it takes to help “Remove the Risk” of unused opioids. Join us as we aim to tackle the opioid epidemic one opioid stash at a time.