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Sponsors
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History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S5065
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the disposal of prescription drugs program
Purpose
To create a disposal program where pharmacies could voluntarily become disposal sites for prescription drugs.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - adds a new article 2-B to the public health law. Section 290 defines "prescription drug" and "pharmacy". Section 291 establishes the disposal of prescription drugs program whereby pharmacies may voluntarily accept and dispose of any unused portions of prescription drugs prescribed to residents of this state. The commissioner of the department is authorized to promulgate the rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this article.
Section 2 - provides the effective date.
Justification
Improperly disposing of prescriptions can pose several threats to public health and safety. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, some medicines are harmful or even fatal if used even once by someone other than the intended user. Simply flushing medicine is the surest way to avoid ingestion by the wrong person, but this yields undesirable environmental effects. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation notes that pharmaceuticals flushed down drains in your house eventually get into local rivers. They report instances of male fish producing eggs when exposed to the hormones found in birth control pills. The DEC also warns that long term exposure to low levels of antibiotics may result in the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria.
By creating a voluntary program where pharmacies can act as a disposal site on a daily basis and dispose of unwanted, expired, and unused pharmaceuticals, we can avoid the dangers of improper disposal of medications.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day alter becoming law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.