WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inmar Intelligence is pleased to announce its 8th medication disposal drive-thru event on Saturday, April 27th from 10 am to 2 pm at Bolton Elementary School in Winston-Salem. Working with Novant Health and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Inmar invites the community to conveniently drive through and drop off any unused, unwanted or expired medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, pet medications, and sharps.
Since hosting its first disposal event in 2019, Inmar has safely collected and disposed of over 2,800 pounds of medications from local homes. However, the need for safe medication disposal is as important now as ever before. A staggering 47% of misused prescription painkillers are obtained from a friend or relative, often from their medicine cabinet, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Teens are especially at risk, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse reporting that 70% obtain prescription drugs from friends, family, and home.
“We’re proud to offer this secure and convenient service to help community members safely clear out medications gathering dust in household cabinets,” said Ashley Schmidt, Vice President, Regulatory and Compliance at Inmar Intelligence. “If you have expired prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs cluttering your cabinets, please take advantage of this free drive-thru event to dispose of them safely and responsibly."
“Novant Health is excited to partner with Inmar Intelligence to provide our patients and community with this safe, convenient medication disposal opportunity. This is our third event with Inmar Intelligence and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and we hope to provide similar events in the future,” said Sacha Pollard Deloney, Novant Health Sr. Pharmacy Director. “In addition to the Consumer Drug Take Back Day, Novant Health recognizes the risk unwanted medications pose to the community year-round. Each Novant Health hospital contains permanent medication collection receptacles to provide a convenient, safe, and secure disposal option that is always available to our communities.”
Unused or expired medications are also the leading cause of child poisonings, sending over 60,000 kids to emergency rooms annually due to accidental ingestions, with a recent Inmar survey revealing that 76% of respondents have unused drugs at home. This one-day event provides a timely, easy and eco-friendly opportunity to remove medications from the home and prevent potential misuse, abuse or environmental contamination.
"DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day showcases the power of partnerships. When law enforcement, businesses, organizations and caring neighbors join forces, we can achieve our shared goal of safeguarding the health of our communities,” said Lieutenant Butch Moore with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. “By providing a simple way for households to remove unneeded medications, we aim to prevent the tragedy of medication misuse and addiction. Together, we are building a brighter future."
Bolton Elementary School is located at 1250 Bolton St, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. No identification or personal information is required to participate. Trained, licensed personnel will handle and legally dispose of all collected medications.
Learn more about Inmar’s consumer drug take-back program at inmar.com/solutions/healthcare/consumer-drug-take-back.
About Inmar Intelligence
Through curiosity and the intelligent use of data and technology, we make businesses smarter to improve consumers’ lives. As a partner to healthcare organizations for over 40 years, we design, build and operate reliable, dynamic solutions to create greater efficiencies and enable connections that unlock the potential of sophisticated marketplaces and ensure safety along the drug supply chain for healthcare employees and patients.
For more information about Inmar’s Healthcare solutions go to inmar.com, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter or call (866) 440-6917.
About Novant Health
Novant Health is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. The Novant Health network consists of more than 2,000 physicians and nearly 40,000 team members that provide care at more than 850 locations, including 19 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities, providing nearly 7 million patient visits annually.
Media Contact:
Lari Harding
SVP, Healthcare Marketing & Sales Enablement
(336) 770-3504
press@inmar.com
