Company to install 17 in-store drug disposal units in select Longs Drugs locations in July to provide community access to safe disposal of unwanted medications
WOONSOCKET, R.I., July 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to helping build healthier communities, CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), today applauded Governor David Ige and the state legislature for enacting new legislation (HB-1272) that will enable the installation of safe medication disposal units this month in many Longs Drugs locations across Hawaii. CVS Health and CVS Pharmacy operate Longs Drugs in Hawaii.
"CVS Health applauds this legislation, as it marks an important step in reducing opportunities for medication misuse by ensuring that patients have a local resource to dispose of unused medications promptly, safely, and securely," said Jon Roberts, Chief Operating Officer of CVS Health. "Planning for the implementation of these disposal resources in many of our Longs stores is already underway."
With the new law in place, CVS Pharmacy will install 17 in-store disposal units in select Longs locations in July across several state counties, including Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui.
To help make year-round disposal options more accessible, CVS Pharmacy has installed safe medication disposal units in more than 1,100 CVS Pharmacy locations across the country and has donated over 960 additional units to community locations such as police departments. Together, these units have collected more than 376 metric tons, or 828,000 pounds, of unwanted medication that might otherwise could have been diverted, misused or ended up in our water supplies.
CVS Pharmacy plans to roll-out additional safe medication disposal units across the country by the end of 2019, as part of a commitment announced at the end of last year to help provide more disposal options in our communities. The company is also partnering with Google Maps to make it easier for consumers to find year-round medication disposal options.
"When patients leave unused medications, especially opioids, in a medicine cabinet, there is a risk that those medications might be misused or diverted, which is why we have worked to help increase access to and awareness of safe medication disposal options in the communities we serve," added Roberts. "Providing more options for the proper disposal of unused medications is just one of the ways that CVS Health is working to help combat opioid misuse, in Hawaii and across the country."
Visit here for more information on CVS Health's opioid misuse prevention programs.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is the nation's premier health innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it. The Company has more than 9,900 retail locations, approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 92 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. CVS Health also serves an estimated 38 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage offerings. This innovative health care model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contacts:
Joe Goode, (781) 799-6048
Joseph.Goode@cvshealth.com
Brent Burkhardt, (410) 299-2528
bburkhardt@tbc.us
SOURCE CVS Health
