Tips for Vet Clinics With Out of Date Medication

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pay close attention to all medications, including those veterinarians use to treat their patients. Expired medication, even medication for animals, can fall into the wrong hands if it’s not properly disposed of. This improper disposal can hurt people, animals, and the environment. Learn some tips for your vet clinic about medication compliance and disposing of out-of-date medication.

Know the Laws

The first tip for staying within legal compliance is obvious: know the laws in your area. In some areas, there are federal and local laws concerning the disposal of out-of-date medications. In other areas, there are only federal laws to keep track of. Stay up-to-date on the laws in your area so you know you’re within legal compliance. These laws can change, so if you established your practice several years ago and haven’t checked pharmaceutical laws since, you may need to check them again.

Some examples of federal laws you should already know are the expiration dates on medications and the unique National Drug Code that all available drugs have. It is illegal to distribute out-of-date medication or to prescribe it without a code.

Keep Records

A law that some vets know but fail to follow is keeping records of expired medication. The DEA expects all medical professionals, including vets, to keep records of their medications and what they do with them after expiration. While proper recordkeeping can often fall to the wayside when running a busy veterinary practice, staying within legal compliance is necessary to keep your practice open.

Create a recordkeeping system to help you keep track of this necessary information. Organize whatever records you have, then determine the policies and procedures that will keep your records organized and accurate.

Hire Disposal Professionals

Now that your practice and records are legally compliant, you can consider how to stay within compliance when you dispose of out-of-date medications. Many areas prefer that you incinerate these items so no one can get their hands on them. However, waste management and disposal professionals can help you choose how to dispose of off-spec pharmaceuticals. They will know the disposal laws in your area and can take some of the burdens of legal compliance off your shoulders so you can focus on your practice and your patients, not pharmaceuticals.

These tips for vet clinics handling out-of-date medications can help you stay within legal compliance and properly dispose of these medicines. Before disposal, vets should verify that they are legally compliant with their medications and keep accurate records. Disposal is easiest to do if you hire waste management professionals. If you’ve previously struggled with law knowledge, recordkeeping, and waste management, now is the best time to get back on track.