Confluence Health’s Prescription Drug Disposal Project Sees Overwhelming Success

WENATCHEE– Officials with Confluence Health say the community’s response to a prescription drug disposal project has been an overwhelming success.

“It’s been pretty phenomenal,” said Glenn Adams with Confluence Health. “The first weekend that we put these out and had patients dispose of their meds we filled up both containers here in Wenatchee, that’s about 35 gallons per container. By Monday morning they were full.”

Adams said the containers are able to take any type of medication whether prescription or over-the-counter medications.

“What took us so long [on this project] was our ability to be able to take back prescription pain medicines,” Adams said.

Adams and Dr. Pete Rutherford discussed the success of the Drug Take Back project on today’s Wake Up Wenatchee Valley program with guest host Steve Hair. Confluence Health has set up prescription medication disposal boxes at Confluence Health Hospital | Mares Campus, Confluence Health Hospital | Central Campus and Lake City Pharmacy in Moses Lake.

Confluence Health has partnered with Sharps Compliance to combat the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse. They’ve setup free disposal boxes for unused and expired medications that are available to the public 24-hours a day.