Analysis of pharmaceutical waste received in educational practices towards the promotion of conscious disposal of unused or expired medicines in Goiás state, Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22239/2317-269X.01314

Keywords:

Environmental Pollution, Drug Utilization, Medical Waste, Waste Management, Drug Publicity

Abstract

Introduction: Annually, 10–28 thousand tons of medicines are inappropriately discarded in the environment by Brazilian consumers, being a great problem in public and environmental health. The lack of knowledge of the population about the impacts generated is one of the factors that promote this scenario. Objective: To perform the characterization of expired or unused medicines received in educational practices in Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil. Method: Educational practices and receipt of expired/unused medicines occurred in June, October and December 2018 in different places of Goiânia (educational institution, municipal parks etc). The medicines were characterized regarding the pharmaceutical form, therapeutic classes, compliance with current Brazilian legislation etc, and forwarded to an environmentally correct disposal. Results: 866 medicines were received, predominantly products of national origin (98.72%), human use (97.46%), solid pharmaceutical forms (75.64%), unused (10.16%) or expired (86.26%), and industrialized medicines of the generic (26.32%), similar (39.26%) or reference (28.86%) types. In addition, 17.10% were free medicine samples, mainly contraceptives, antihypertensives and antibacterials. Moreover, 7.51% were medicines under special control (Ordinance No. 344/1998), while 9.12% were antimicrobials with a need for retention of the prescription (RDC No. 20/2011). Among the drugs classified in the therapeutic classes covered by the RDC No. 222/2018, 344 (39.72%) were received, among them: antimicrobials (18.93%), hormones (14.20%), immunosuppressants (6.12%) and antiretrovirals (0.47%). Conclusions: In view of the large amount of pharmaceutical waste characterized in this study, it is highlighted the need to promote continuing educational practices to provide the population with correct information and public awareness. Moreover, it is important to establish effective legislative instruments to promote the environmentally correct disposal of expired/unused medications found in household environments.

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Author Biographies

  • João Paulo Araújo Ferreira, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brasil

    Possui graduação em Farmácia pela Universidade Federal de Goiás (2019/1). Foi Membro fundador e secretário geral da LATox (Liga acadêmica de Toxicologia) - UFG nos anos de 2016 a 2017, vice-presidente em 2017/2 e presidente em 2018. Atuou como voluntário em projeto de extensão no Hospital Veterinario da UFG e foi membro do laboratório de imunologia de 2017 a 2019 (IPSTP - UFG) cuja ênfase se volta em Mecanismos da imunidade natural contra Leishmania spp. Participou em 2019 da I Escola de Inverno em Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas da Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

  • Bruna Paula da Cunha, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brasil

    Aluna de graduação do curso de Farmácia da UFG, Atualmente Monitora da disciplina de Bioquímica Clinica pela faculdade de Farmácia da UFG, DIretora de Comunicação e eventos da Liga acadêmica de Toxicologia (Latox).

  • Bárbara Gonçalves Rivello, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brasil

    Possui graduação em Farmácia (2020) pela Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG). Fez iniciação científica no Laboratório de Química Farmacêutica Medicinal. Já foi monitora da disciplina de "Introdução à Química Farmacêutica Medicinal". Fez parte como membro da Liga Acadêmica de Toxicologia da Faculdade de Farmácia durante o ano de 2018, assumindo o cargo de vice-presidente no ano de 2019.

  • Renato Ivan de Ávila, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brasil

    Graduação em Farmácia (2006-2010), sendo, por três anos, aluno de Iniciação Científica PIVIC e PIBIC/CNPq/CAPES. Especialização em Farmacologia Clínica (2011-2013) e mestrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas (2011-2013). Doutorado em Ciências da Saúde (2014-2018), com Período-Sanduíche na Lund University (Suécia) através do Programa de Doutorado Sanduíche no Exterior (PDSE) financiado pela CAPES (Julho/2017 - Março/2018 - Edital PDSE nº 19/2016). Durante o período julho-dezembro/2018 foi professor substituto de Toxicologia na Faculdade de Farmácia - UFG. Atua principalmente na área de Inovação Farmacêutica, incluindo temas como modelos inovadores para avaliação de eficácia e segurança de materiais, tais como métodos de testagem in vitro em substituição à experimentação animal e que também mimetizem melhor as reais condições fisiológicas do organismo humano.

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Published

2020-02-27

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2020): February

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Analysis of pharmaceutical waste received in educational practices towards the promotion of conscious disposal of unused or expired medicines in Goiás state, Brazil. (2020). Health Surveillance under Debate: Society, Science & Technology , 8(1), 22-30. https://doi.org/10.22239/2317-269X.01314