There is currently no federal legislation regulating the management of medicine at the end of life, but a number of states have passed and attempted to pass legislation.
HB 1047 requires medicine manufacturers to create, fund, and operate a convenient statewide collection and disposal program for unused medicines.
Introduced in January 2017, HB 1047 passed the House Health Care & Wellness Committee on Feb. 15, 2017 and Appropriations Feb. 21. Though it did not move to a floor vote prior to the 2017 cut-off date, the bill was taken up again in 2018, the second year of the biennium, and...
At its October 2016 annual meeting, the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) adopted a resolution supporting medication return programs:
RESOLVED, that the WSMA support legislation to create a convenient, safe, secure, environmentally sound and sustainable product stewardship program for the collection, transportation...
On June 14, 2016, the Board of Health of the Snohomish Health District adopted a pharmaceutical stewardship ordinance (PDF) to establish a convenient secure medicine return system for residents that:
On June 20, 2013, the King County Board of Health took a significant step towards reducing preventable deaths from drug overdoses by passing a Rule & Regulation to create a drug take-back system for King County residents. The program promotes the safe disposal of unused prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and will be funded and operated by the drug manufacturers who produce the medications....
SB 727 would require pharmaceutical manufacturers to create and manage a stewardship program.
A Resolution of the City of Seattle, December 2012.
In July 2012, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance, the Alameda County Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance(PDF), requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to create and fund a program to collect and properly dispose of leftover drugs they manufacture. This ordinance is the first of its kind in the nation. Alameda County also held a series of...
SSB 5234, the Medicine Take-Back Bill, was introduced in January 2011 but did not move out of the Senate Rules Committee. Re-introduced in January 2012, during the second year of the 2011-2012 biennium, the bill did not get a floor vote and is now dead. Read the Senate Bill Report...
A Resolution of the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (PDF), January 2010
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Issaquah (PDF), Washington, January 2010.
