Antidepressant Recall Alert: How to Safely Dispose of Medications

By: Ashley Lipscomb

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled thousands of bottles of the antidepressant, Duloxetine delayed-release capsules, after they were found to have levels of a potentially cancer-causing chemical.

Duloxetine is used to manage depression, anxiety, and chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and osteoarthritis. It works by increasing the levels of two neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, which play a key role in regulating pain and mood.

The recall of the Duloxetine delayed-release capsules, produced by Towa Pharmaceutical Europe, was initiated on October 10 as a Class II recall, meaning “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

Still, the FDA advises patients who are taking this medication to continue doing so until speaking with their doctor about concerns and other treatment options.

This serves as a good reminder that you should regularly be disposing of unused medications that are expired, or no longer necessary. It’s important that you dispose of these drugs safely.

This Saturday, October 26, is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where police departments throughout the U.S. serve as collection sites. Click here to find a location near you where you can safely dispose of unused or expired medications.

Depending on the drug, you can also safely dispose of them at home.

Almost all medicines, including over-the-counter medications, can be thrown into your household trash. The FDA recommends you follow these steps:

1. Remove the drugs from their original containers and mix them with something undesirable, such as used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter. This makes the medicine less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to someone who might intentionally go through the trash looking for drugs.
2. Put the mixture in something you can close (a re-sealable zipper storage bag, empty can, or other container) to prevent the drug from leaking or spilling out.
3. Throw the container in the garbage.
4. Scratch out all your personal information on the empty medicine packaging to protect your identity and privacy. Throw the packaging away.

If you have a question about your medication or how to safely dispose of them, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Ashley Lipscomb, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy at Jackson South Medical Center.