The “Secure & Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010” passed the Senate on Wednesday September 29, 2010. The act was amended to provide for take-back disposal of controlled substances in certain instances. What is the Act and how does it affect you? To summarize:
“Secure & Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010” as it applies to long-term care states:
“Long-term care facilities face a distinct set of obstacles to the safe disposal of controlled substances due to the increased volume of controlled substances they handle”
“(1) The goal of this Act is to encourage the Attorney General to set controlled substance diversion prevention parameters that will allow public and private entities to develop a variety of methods of collection and disposal of controlled substances in a secure and responsible manner.”
‘‘(2) In developing regulations under this subsection, the Attorney General shall take into consideration the public health and safety, as well as the ease and cost of program implementation and participation by various communities. Such regulations may not require any entity to establish or operate a delivery or disposal program.
‘‘(3) The Attorney General may, by regulation, authorize long-term care facilities, as defined by the Attorney General by regulation, to dispose of controlled substances on behalf of ultimate users who reside, or have resided, at such long-term care facilities in a manner that the Attorney General determines will provide effective controls against diversion and be consistent with the public health and safety.