Pharma Mounts Vigorous Campaign Against LA County Drug Disposal Program
The measure would set up a network of sites where unused medication could be dropped off for disposal. The industry argues that the better route to take is to educate patients in how to dispose of their own medications safely.
Los Angeles Times:
Pharmaceutical Industry Is Lobbying Hard Against An L.A. County Drug Take-Back Proposal
Drug manufacturers have mounted a vigorous lobbying campaign against the county proposal, which would require pharmaceutical companies to finance a disposal program for unused medications and syringes. Proponents say the program would reduce chemicals ending up in the water supply, and would help curb prescription drug abuse by making sure that unused drugs are safely disposed of rather than stockpiled in medicine cabinets. The opponents say it would be costly and have little effect on the problem. (Sewell, 3/28)
In other pharmaceutical news —
KQED:
Truvada, The Miracle HIV Drug Few People Take, Suffers Another Setback
The first documented case of HIV infection by someone adhering to the prescribed regimen for the preventive HIV drug Truvada was reported at a medical conference last month. Dr. David Knox, an HIV primary care physician at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Medical Clinic, reported the case at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston. (You can listen to his full presentation here.) (Brooks, 3/28)