Help keep medications out of our lakes, streams and the wrong hands! VA Puget Sound to Host Rx Take Back Day on Oct. 24

“We encourage everyone to participate in Rx Take Back Days” said VA Puget Sound Health Care System Associate Chief of Pharmacy Eric Chantelois. “By regularly reviewing our medications and safely disposing of those that are expired or no longer needed, we are helping protect our families, communities, and environment—keeping them out of our lakes, streams, and the wrong hands.” 

• American Lake Campus: 9600 Veterans Drive Southwest, Building 81, Pharmacy Lobby (Room 1089), Tacoma, WA 98498
• Seattle Campus: 1660 S Columbian Way, Building 100, Outpatient Pharmacy Lobby (Room 1D-145), Seattle, WA 98108

Anyone can anonymously dispose of unused and expired prescriptions—including controlled substances—and over-the-counter medication at either of VA Puget Sound’s main campuses. Please note that medical devices or batteries, needles and sharps, aerosol medications and illegal drugs are not accepted.

VA Puget Sound’s semiannual Rx Take Back Day are aligned with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and the national Department of Veteran Affairs effort to encourage Americans to properly dispose of opioids and all unused or expired medications. This effort supports the https://Dispose of Unused Medications and Prescription (DUMP), https://Opioids Act, https://Opioid Safety Initiative, https://VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, https://VA's Opioid Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution program.

VA supports the safe disposal of unused controlled substance prescription medications for Veterans and encourages participation in Rx Take Back events. You can find year-round collection sites through https://DEA's Drop-Off Locations search tool.

About VA Puget Sound Health Care System:

VA Puget Sound provides comprehensive care to approximately 160,000 Veterans across the Pacific Northwest enrolled with a primary care team at one of its care sites: two main campuses (American Lake and Seattle), seven outpatient clinics (Everett, Mount Vernon, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Port Angeles, Puyallup and Silverdale) and two Community Resource & Referral Centers (Georgetown in Seattle and Renton). For more information visit www.va.gov/puget-sound-health-care or call 800-329-8387.  For Veterans in Crisis, please use the Veterans Crisis line at 988 (press 1).

Hunter Gordian, Public Affairs Manager