Wasted medicine in England could fill 75 swimming pools a year, pharmacy group says

A pharmacy group in England estimates that three thousand four hundred tonnes of partly used medicines were discarded in 2024-25, a figure equivalent to filling 75 swimming pools. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), representing 6,000 independent community pharmacies across the UK, highlighted that this waste costs the National Health Service (NHS) at least £480 million each year.

Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, emphasized that wasted medicines represent a significant financial burden on the NHS that could be better allocated to patient care. The group called for more frequent reviews of repeat prescriptions to identify unused medicines. Picard also urged patients to order only the medicines they need and to have their prescriptions regularly reviewed by their pharmacists.

Dr Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, added that surplus medicines pose not only financial and environmental issues but also patient safety and antimicrobial resistance concerns. She stressed that leftover antibiotics, if not properly managed, can lead to misuse and contribute to resistance.

The NHS England responded by noting their efforts to help patients manage prescriptions through the NHS app, including managing repeat prescriptions. However, they acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as long-standing medicine shortages, and are working on campaigns to reduce medicine waste and improve overall medication use.