Nabil Al Fadl 
While wasting drugs is a major challenge for the health system, as it negatively affects economic and environmental resources, and limits the efficiency of health services, international studies and reports indicate that large quantities of medicines are wasted annually, while the cost of disposal of “safe” wasted drugs is 5 billion dollars annually in the world.
For his part, a Saudi researcher, a specialist in clinical pharmacy, has put about 12 solutions to reduce waste of medicines, most notably patient awareness, with the correct use of medicines, the use of electronic systems to manage stock and track medicines to avoid expiration, as well as improve the distribution of medicines between hospitals and pharmacies to reduce excess surplus, while encouraging unused drug recycling programs that are still suitable for use.
Pharmaceutical waste
The clinical pharmacist, Dr. Ghassan Bukhamseen, explained to Al -Watan that most of the pharmaceutical waste is produced from excessive recipes and lack of awareness of safe disposal methods, and that drug waste is of two types, namely: within the health system, and it has many causes and leads to the destruction of large quantities of medicines, and the Food and Drug General Authority began in the “monitoring” system, to track the electronic drug to reduce this type of waste Drug, and the other, after the patient’s arrival in the patient.
Heat and humidity
The researcher restricted 7 reasons for waste of medicines, which is to excessive dispensing of medicines, by disbursing more amounts of the actual need of the patient, which leads to the accumulation of medicines in homes and not completely used, in addition to the multiplicity of bodies provided for health care for the patient, and this leads to the repeated disbursement of the same drugs to the patient from more than one health, while some patients resort to storing medicines in anticipation of any healthy emergency, which leads to the end of their validity before using them, and that some patients do not They adhere to the prescribed doses, or stop taking medications as soon as the symptoms improve, which leads to the survival of large quantities of medications without use, and Bochsen added that storing medications in inappropriate conditions, such as exposure to heat or humidity, which leads to damage and lack of suitability, in addition to limiting the period of validity of some medications, which contain enzymes or proteins that lose their effectiveness quickly due to their chemical decomposition, and finally There are no effective mechanisms for recycling unused drugs or donating them to those in need, which leads to indiscriminate disposal.
12 solutions to reduce medicines waste
01- Educating patients, of the correct use of medications, and the importance of not maintaining large quantities of them.
02- Training doctors and pharmacists to prescribe medicines appropriately and avoid excessive exchange.
03- Using electronic systems to manage inventory and track medicines to avoid expiration.
04- Improving the distribution of medicines between hospitals and pharmacies to reduce excess.
05- Putting restrictions on the amount of medications that can be disbursed to the patient at one time.
06- Encouraging unused drug recycling programs that are still usable.
07- Enhancing censorship on pharmacies and hospitals to ensure their commitment to the criteria set for drugs.
08- Preparing periodic reports on the quantities of wasted medicines and analyzing the causes of waste.
09- Establishing programs that allow patients to donate medications that they no longer need, but are still useful.
10- Developing safe mechanisms to recycle expired or unused medications.
11- Encouraging the use of applications that help patients to manage their medications and remind them of doses dates.
12- Using artificial intelligence to predict the needs of medicines and reduce excess.
Causes to waste medicines
01- Excessive exchange of medicines.
02- Multiple bodies provided for health care for the patient.
03- Some patients resort to storing medications in anticipation of any healthy emergency, which leads to the expiration of their validity.
04- Some patients do not adhere to the prescribed doses, or stop taking medications as soon as the symptoms improve.
05- Store medicines in inappropriate conditions, such as exposure to heat or moisture.
06- Short the period of validity of some medications, which contain enzymes or proteins that quickly lose their effectiveness.
07- There are no effective mechanisms for recycling unused drugs or donating them to those in need.
Impacts caused by drug waste
• The cost of getting rid of the “safe” wasted drugs reaches 5 billion dollars annually worldwide.
• 15 % of patients use expired drugs, and this can lead to 20 % an increase in the risk of side effects.
• 10 % of wasted drugs, are replaced by new drugs, which increases health care costs.
• Eliminate 70% of the incorrectly wasted drugs, leads to environmental pollution.
Draining 30% of the drugs wasted in the groundwater, which leads to their pollution.
• 15 % of fish in coastal areas contain medicines.
