#FMCG Eight Talks##Consumption##Health##Pharmaceutical Sector#For a long time, the disposal of expired drugs has been a difficult point. A few days ago, the National Health Commission and relevant parties formulated the "Implementation Plan for Saving Drug Resources and Curbing Drug Waste" (hereinafter referred to as the "Implementation Plan"). The "Implementation Plan" mainly puts forward specific work measures and requirements from the aspects of drug production, clinical use, drug circulation, publicity and guidance, waste drug management, and organization and implementation. In addition to the management of waste drugs, the "Implementation Plan" solves the problem of drug waste and possible expiration from the source. For example, we should accurately allocate drugs according to the prescribed dosage, promote the dismantling and dispensing service, strictly supervise drug marketing and publicity, and enhance the public's awareness of rational drug purchase.
Outpatient and emergency large-package drugs can be dismantled and dispensed
Promote appropriate packaging of drugs, promote dismantling and dispensing services, and take multiple measures to curb drug waste in the "Implementation Plan". The "Implementation Plan" mentions that the technical guidance for enterprises to change packaging specifications will be strengthened. Guide enterprises to reasonably determine the specifications of large or small packaging in accordance with the principles of science, reasonableness and necessity, according to the course of drug use and clinical needs. It is necessary not only to avoid excessive packaging and reduce waste, but also to strictly control and ensure the quality of drugs and prevent drug quality risks caused by changing packaging. This work measure and requirement is led by the State Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is responsible for the division of labor according to their duties.
In order to reduce drug waste, the "Implementation Plan" requires accurate dispensing according to the prescribed dose, that is, pharmacists should accurately dispense drugs for patients in strict accordance with the prescribed dosage of the physician. For outpatient and emergency patients, if the large packaging of drugs is involved, the drug dismantling and dispensing service can be provided to reduce the loss of drugs and facilitate the use of patients; for inpatients, the oral preparations that can be placed in a single dose should be dispensed according to a single dose, and the injection preparations should be dispensed according to the daily dose.
At the same time, the "Implementation Plan" regulates the prescription behavior of physicians, and physicians should adhere to the principle of safe, effective, economical and reasonable drug use, and prescribe according to the patient's condition, including the appropriate dosage, frequency, and course of treatment. Prescriptions should generally not exceed 7 days, emergency prescriptions should not exceed 3 days, and for eligible chronic diseases, it can be appropriately extended to a maximum of 12 weeks. The National Health Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine are responsible for this work measure and requirements.
Enhance the public's awareness of rational drug purchase and scientific drug preparation
Previously, the hoarding of medicines during the epidemic caused a lot of attention. After the hoarding of medicines, the remaining medicines were thrown away, resulting in a large number of expired medicines. A video of a resident throwing a large amount of fever-reducing medicine in a garbage bin in a residential building along with other medicines circulated online.
The "Implementation Plan" has standardized and guided drug manufacturers and the public in many aspects. For example, the review of drug advertisements will be strict, and the supervision of the advertising content of non-prescription drugs will be strengthened. Drug advertisements must not contain assertions or guarantees indicating efficacy or safety, must not state cure rates or effective rates, must not use the names or images of physicians, pharmacists, patients, and so forth as proof of recommendation, must not contain inducing content such as "hot sales, rush purchases, trials", "family essentials, free treatment, and free gifts", must not contain comprehensive evaluation content such as "evaluation, ranking, recommendation, designation, selection, and awards", and must not contain "invalid refunds, insurance company insurance" and other guaranteed content, drug contraindications and adverse reactions must be prominently indicated in the advertisement. The State Administration for Market Regulation, the Cyberspace Administration of the People's Republic of China, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the National Health Commission, and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine are responsible for this work measure and requirement in accordance with their duties and division of labor.
The "Implementation Plan" also mentions that the National Health Commission will take the lead, and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the Central Cyberspace Administration will be responsible for carrying out propaganda on curbing drug waste in accordance with their duties and division of labor, guiding the public to abandon the wrong behaviors such as blind hoarding of drugs and introducing each other to take drugs at will, so that the public can realize that "medicine is three poisons", and enhance the public's awareness of rational drug purchase, scientific drug preparation, rational use of drugs, and drug conservation.
In addition, the National Health Commission, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the State Food and Drug Administration are responsible for carrying out industry health education according to their responsibilities and division of labor. It is necessary to inform patients and the public of the possible harm caused by irrational drug use, and reduce the self-treatment of patients and the public. Encourage the use of "Internet +" to increase drug guidance and save drug resources.
Standardize the collection and destruction of discarded drugs
The research team of the School of Pharmacy of Peking University conducted a nationwide household survey on the current situation and disposal methods of household waste drugs in mainland China, and analyzed 6,278 questionnaires. Through the investigation of the causes of discarded drugs at home, it was found that the main reason for discarded drugs at home was expired drugs (91.9%), and the proportions of self-discontinued drugs after symptom improvement, excessive preparation of drugs, forgetting to take medicines, excessive prescription by doctors, and ineffective drugs were 29.8%, 12.8%, 11.8%, 11.2%, and 10.8%, respectively. Expired medicines are the main cause of discarding.
Expired medicines can have a variety of negative effects. Bai Wenxi, chief economist of IPG China, once told Beijing Business Daily that improper disposal and random discarding of expired drugs may bring dangers such as pollution and accidental ingestion to people, animals and the environment.
The relevant person in charge of a pharmaceutical company told a reporter from Beijing Business Daily that expired drugs at home are hazardous waste, which not only cannot protect health, but also pollute the environment if discarded at will. If it goes into the hands of unscrupulous traders or medical institutions, it will be repackaged and re-sold, which will bring unpredictable consequences to patients.
The "Implementation Plan" mentions that the collection of waste drugs will be improved. Strengthen the publicity and guidance of domestic waste classification, inform the public of the hazards related to discarding drugs at will, improve residents' awareness of recycling waste drugs, widely mobilize community residents and volunteers to participate in the classification of waste drugs, and put waste drugs into designated garbage containers. All localities should adopt incentive measures to actively guide drug production and operation enterprises to carry out waste drug collection activities. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the National Health Commission are responsible for this work measure and requirements in accordance with their duties and division of labor.
In addition, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment are responsible for the transportation and handover of waste drugs according to their responsibilities and division of labor. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the State Food and Drug Administration are responsible for strengthening the standardized destruction of waste drugs in accordance with the division of responsibilities. Waste drug disposal enterprises should receive and dispose of waste drugs in accordance with relevant standards and specifications for ecological and environmental protection, ensure harmless disposal, and prevent environmental pollution. Prevent discarded drugs from being "refurbished and marketed" by criminals, and investigate and deal with violations of laws and regulations such as the sale of discarded drugs and expired drugs in accordance with the law. Beijing Business Daily reporter Yao Qian