CVS Health Marks National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with Events, Education and New Take Back Data

Company's efforts to combat prescription drug abuse aimed at helping communities on their path to better health

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Apr 27, 2016, 08:30 ET

WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is marking National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, this Saturday April 30, with the announcement that its Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program has donated more than 500 drug collection units to law enforcement partners across the U.S., resulting in the safe disposal of more than 35 metric tons of unwanted medication to date. In recognition of Take Back day, the company is also:

Hosting more than 150 take back events managed by local law enforcement agencies at CVS Pharmacy locations around the country
Launching new education resources on CVS.com to help patients use and dispose of prescription medication safely
Donating 11 new drug disposal units to the Connecticut State Police through its Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program

"CVS Health is committed to helping the communities we serve address and prevent prescription drug abuse," said Tom Davis, RPh, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Practices at CVS Pharmacy. "Proper disposal of unwanted prescription medication is critical to prevent abuse and we are proud to mark National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with a number of important initiatives. Taken together, our Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program, our patient resources on CVS.com and our Take Back events are helping us advance CVS Health's purpose of helping people on their path to better health."

CVS Pharmacy is a long-time supporter of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which was established by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2010 to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means to dispose of prescription drugs, while educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.

New results of a poll recently conducted by CVS Health and Morning Consult found 72 percent of respondents would be interested in a drug take back day in their community. Survey results also illustrated a significant need for this engagement: just 33 percent of respondents acknowledged the primary way they dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medication is by taking them to a designated disposal location, while more than 50 percent said they do not dispose of their unused medication at all or do so in a way not recommended by federal guidelines. Interested consumers can find a participating Drug Take Back collection site in their area by visiting www.dea.gov.

In recognition of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, CVS Health is also launching new consumer education resources at http://www.cvs.com/content/prescription-drug-abuse to help patients ensure their medications are used and disposed of properly. These resources will also connect community leaders to CVS Health's youth drug abuse prevention program, Pharmacists Teach, which brings CVS Pharmacists to local high school health classes to educate kids about the dangers of drug abuse. Law enforcement officials can also find online resources about how they can apply for a drug disposal unit through CVS Health's Medication Disposal for Safer Communities program.

Since 2014, CVS Health has operated the Medication Disposal for Safer Communities donation program with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. The program gives local police departments nationwide the opportunity to apply for a drug collection unit that will allow their communities to safely dispose of unwanted medications, including controlled substances. New applications for these collection units are now being accepted at www.cvs.com/safercommunities.

"CVS Health's commitment to safe disposal of prescription drugs has made a meaningful contribution to preventing drug abuse in many communities across our country," said Marcia Lee Taylor, President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. "We value their partnership in helping families and communities on the path to better health."

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its approximately 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 75 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated 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 Contact:

Erin Shields Britt
Corporate Communications
(401) 770-9237
Erin.Britt @CVSHealth.com

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SOURCE CVS Health