Medicine cabinets opened to scrutiny
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE CONTENTS of 2,000 bathroom cabinets are to be scrutinised by researchers to discover what quantity of prescription drugs and medicines goes to waste - and why, writes Celia Hall.
The Department of Health's new bathroom squads will begin their work in June against a suspicion that millions of pounds of public money is being spent on pills that never get taken.
Households will be selected at random and asked to take part in the exercise. The hapless hoarders who agree to open up their bathroom cupboards will then be asked to recall why they did not take their drugs or finish the courses of treatment.
Dr Brian Mawhinney, the Minister for Health, who announced details of the campaign yesterday, said officials did not know how much was wasted, but it could run into 'tens of millions'.
He said information from local 'dump' campaigns - when people are encouraged to take unused drugs to pharmacists so they can be destroyed - suggests that 150 tons of prescription drugs are thrown away each year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments