Why does so much medicine end up going to waste?

Medicine waste is a significant issue, both financially and environmentally. In England, approximately 3,400 tonnes of partially used medicines were discarded in a single year, enough to fill around 75 swimming pools. This results in a cost to the National Health Service of at least £480 million annually. The overuse of repeat prescriptions, people discontinuing treatments early, and the habit of holding onto medication for future use all contribute to this waste.

However, the root cause appears to be people's tendency to forget about unused or expired medicines, leading to an accumulation over time. To address this, pharmacies are calling for more frequent medication reviews for patients on multiple medications and for people to use checklists before ordering more prescriptions. Additionally, Malaysians have dedicated return programs, like the DROP campaign, to safely dispose of unwanted medicines.

However, waste reduction can start at home by regularly checking medicine cabinets, disposing of expired or unused medicines, and questioning the necessity of each prescription before purchasing.