The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) launched a project dubbed “Take Back Unwanted Medicine from Consumers” (TBUM) at its headquarters in Accra. The project aims to take back unused and expired medicines from consumers and dispose of them safely as enshrined in the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851.

Currently in Ghana, there is a growing trend of large quantities of unused and expired medicines in the hands of consumers which are obtained through prescription and over-the-counter purchases.

Some of these medicines are retained in homes over a long time, which tends to get into the hands of curious toddlers, teenagers, and the environment.

To address this public health concern, there is the need for these medicines to be disposed of safely to reduce their negative and toxic effects on our environment to protect public health and safety.

According to the National Drugs Policy, disposal of medicines shall be undertaken in a manner that protects and preserves the environment and ensures that medicines due for disposal do not find their way into the population for use.

The TBUM project is being piloted in fifty (50) Community Pharmacy Shops in the Greater Accra Region to take back unwanted medicines from consumers and would eventually be scaled up nationwide.

The FDA in collaboration with other agencies shall ensure that suitable measures are instituted for the regular identification, collection and safe disposal of expired medicines and medical waste.