A bill regarding safe disposal of controlled substance medications will impact Texas pharmacists and pharmacies beginning in January 2020. House Bill 2088, which was passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2019, will require the following:
“A person dispensing a controlled substance under a prescription shall provide to the person receiving the controlled substance written notice of:
- The closest location at which controlled substance prescription drugs are accepted for safe disposal; and
- Any other drug disposal methods available at the location at which the controlled substance is dispensed, including;
- Mail-in pouches for surrendering unused controlled substance prescription drugs; or
- Chemicals to render the drugs unusable.”
The Texas State Board of Pharmacy will be required to keep a list of locations at which controlled substance prescription drugs are accepted for safe disposal and must make that list available on the Board’s website.
DisposeRx packets, which meet the criteria established in Section 2) b of the legislation, are available and being distributed at 2,000 pharmacies in Texas.
Please reach out to me at bdonaldson@disposerx.com, or contact the Texas State Board of Pharmacy or Texas Pharmacy Association if you have questions about this legislation.
