Narcotics in the medicine cabinet: Provider talk is key to lower risk
Summary/Excerpts
There is a growing need and opportunity for providers to discuss appropriate disposal methods for leftover pain medications, as highlighted in this national study of parents with children receiving such prescriptions. Guidance on safe disposal could reduce the chances of parents keeping leftover prescriptions at home or using improper disposal methods. With half of caregivers reporting leftover medications and only one-third having received instructions on what to do with them, these findings also raise important questions about appropriate prescribing practices.
Key Statistics
Only one third of parents (33%) said that the prescribing provider discussed what to do with the child’s leftover pain medication.
One half of parents (50%) reported their child had leftover pills from a pain medication prescription.
Twice as many parents with no provider discussion kept leftover pain pills at home compared to parents whose provider discussed what to do with leftover medication.
Citation
Clark S, Singer D, Matos-Moreno A, Kauffman A, Schultz S, Davis M. Narcotics in the Medicine Cabinet: Provider Talk Is Key to Lower Risk, vol. Vol 26 Ann Arbor, MI: C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan; 2016.