AVMA releases new drug disposal guide

SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — In response to increased scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the pharmaceutical disposal practices of healthcare facilities, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has written a new policy to help veterinary practices stay in compliance.

EPA had proposed a survey in August 2008 of all veterinary practices and their pharmaceutical waste disposal methods, but AVMA contended that the veterinary profession was a minimal contributor to pharmaceutical waste problems and should be exempt from the survey, which spanned the remainder of healthcare professions.

In return, AVMA vowed to help veterinarians adopt best practices and, in July 2009, the Best Management Practices for Pharmaceutical Disposal Guide was approved by the AVMA Executive Board. The policy was recently published on AVMA's Web site and can be found by visiting avma.org, clicking on "policy" under the "Reference" tab and scrolling down to "Pharmaceutical Disposal, Best Management Practices for."