Observational pilot study: Assessing utilization rates of safe-disposal systems for acute opioid prescriptions post pharmacist-led counseling

Background: While previous studies have highlighted the critical need for safe opioid disposal systems, there is limited information regarding patient utilization of these systems. This study aimed to determine if pharmacist-led education improved patients’ use of medication disposal systems. Methods: An observational pilot study was conducted at a single location of a large community pharmacy chain, enrolling patients receiving acute opioid prescriptions for short-term pain management following an outpatient procedure or inpatient admission. The objective was to determine if in-depth, pharmacist-led disposal counseling had an impact on patient utilization of a safe disposal system. Eligible patients were assigned to either the control or study group and underwent the appropriate counseling. Both groups received standard-of-care pharmacist-led counseling at prescription pick-up, and the treatment group received additional information regarding the disposal system. After three weeks, participants were contacted via telephone to determine if the disposal system was used. Results: A total of 100 participants were enrolled, with 63 completing the follow-up questionnaire. Among those, 3 participants (4.8%) reported using the safe medication disposal system for the dispensed opioid or an unwanted medication in their household, though it was unclear if these medications were initially co-dispensed with the disposal system. Twenty-seven participants (42.9%) reported no remaining medication, while 6 participants (16.7%) with leftover medication expressed a desire to keep it in case of future pain. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that patients are unlikely to utilize safe disposal systems for unused opioids, even with pharmacist counseling. These findings highlight the need for further research into effective disposal strategies and the development of more robust interventions to enhance safe medication practices.