Maine mulls drug take-back law

Drugmakers: Be sure to include in your supply chain plans a channel for the return of unused and expired products from consumers. Lawmakers in the Pine Tree State are considering a bill that would make manufacturers responsible for collecting unused drugs from residents and disposing of them.

The new headache for manufacturers stems from the detection of ibuprofen and acetaminophen in water at three landfills by Maine environmental officials, according to a press report. Maine's effort is one of a growing number.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers may find an ally in the medical device field: Sharps Compliance Corp., which runs a program to collect used syringes from consumers via U.S. mail, has recently launched its RxTakeAway program to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals from households. As reported earlier, biopharma companies are signing up.

- see the report

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