“The majority of doctors and other health professionals are very (74%) or somewhat (24%) concerned about the increased abuse, misuse, and diversion of opioid analgesics, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, a new Medscape survey shows.
But while most professionals discuss with patients how and when to take these drugs (91%) and their possible side effects (93%), far fewer (55%) discuss safe storage and proper disposal, the survey showed.
Meanwhile, a similar survey by WebMD showed that 4 in 10 (42%) consumer respondents said they store unused pills for future use, contributing to a “national inventory” of unused opioids, the summary document notes. Only 23% report returning unused opioids to pharmacies with disposal programs or throwing them away.”
Read more at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/856589
Source: Medscape.com – December 30, 2015
