Ernst, Grassley concerned over regulatory hurdles to drug take-back programs

U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, Republicans from Iowa, on Monday expressed their concern over burdensome regulatory requirements cited by a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study they requested last year concerning federal drug take-back policies for pharmacies.

In 2015, 3.8 million Americans reported misusing prescriptions in the prior month, while deaths from prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999, according to the new GAO report that focused on preventing drug abuse.

Because many people obtain prescription drugs from friends or relatives, offering secure and convenient ways for people to dispose of their unused prescription drugs can help keep them out of the wrong hands, thereby preventing abuse, the study said.

A 2010 federal law authorized pharmacies and other entities to voluntarily maintain a prescription drug disposal bin for the public.

“The GAO’s report found low voluntary participation among pharmacies, citing high costs and confusion over compliance with federal regulations,” said Sens. Ernst and Grassley in a joint statement.

“While we are disappointed in the GAO report’s findings, we cannot allow regulations to get in the way of participation in this critical program. Prescription drug take-back programs are a necessary and effective part of an all-of-the-above strategy in combating the opioid epidemic, and we are looking at ways to increase participation moving forward,” the senators said.

GAO found that just 3 percent of entities eligible to collect drugs using disposal bins volunteered to do so, partly due to the cost of purchasing a bin and paying for the destruction of collected drugs.

According to GAO, 2014 U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations established requirements participating entities must meet, including installing the disposal bin securely to a permanent structure and making the bin inaccessible to the public when employees are not present.

GAO limited the study to DEA-authorized collectors using disposal bins. Other methods of drug disposal by eligible entities and all methods of disposal by law enforcement agencies, which do not require DEA authorization to dispose of controlled substances, were outside the study scope, according to GAO.