BILLINGS, MT – National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, April 27, comes once a year, offering a safe way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. In an effort to encourage and safely dispose of no longer needed medications, Alliance organizations – Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare and RiverStone Health – now offer a convenient and responsible way to dispose of unwanted medications every day of the year.

All three organizations have secure MedSafe lock boxes to handle disposal of unused or expired medications. The bright blue and white stainless steel boxes can accept over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs, including legally prescribed narcotics or other controlled substances.  In an effort to educate patients, the Alliance organizations will soon start attaching bag tags to prescriptions describing the safe use of pain medications and safe disposal of unused or expired medications.

The lock boxes can help decrease the public safety risk of accidental poisoning, intentional misuse or overdose. They can also help protect the environment from unsafe disposal methods.

The MedSafe drop box outpatient pharmacy locations:

Billings Clinic –  2800 10^th Ave. N. (South Atrium entrance, near the hospital pharmacy)

St. Vincent Healthcare Pharmacy – 1233 N. 30^th St. (Emergency Department Entrance)

RiverStone Health Pharmacy – 123 South 27^th Street  (Clinic Entrance)

Medications for disposal should be left in their original containers, if possible. Liquid medications less than four ounces should be placed in a sealed plastic bag before placing them  in a MedSafe drop box.  MedSafe boxes are not set up to take needles or other instruments that can cut or puncture the skin, aerosols or hazardous materials.