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A new study reveals that more and more French people are going to their pharmacy to drop off medications they no longer use. 70% of the quantity of unused medicines (MNU) held in French homes would have been collected by pharmacies in 2022. An objective which was set for 2024.
The new REMEDE study (REliquat MEDicaments non Employés) carried out in 2022 by Cyclamed* with the CSA institute and validated by the State (DGPR and ADEME) shows that more and more French people are returning their medicines to pharmacies. They would be more aware of eco-citizen actions since they take the time to remove the packaging, boxes and instructions before returning the medications to the pharmacy. The study also underlines that the use of the drug by health professionals and patients is increasingly rational.
Nearly 9,500 tonnes of medicines recovered in 2022
In 2022, the quantity of MNU recovered in the 21,000 community pharmacies installed in mainland France and the overseas territories amounted to 9,415 tonnes. Which corresponds to 2.3 boxes per inhabitant. This collection represents 70% of the total MNU held by the French (13,443 tonnes).
This collection rate observed for 2022 is good news since this figure was the objective set for 2024 in the eco-organization’s approval specifications.
Patients sensitive to selective sorting
The study reveals that, for 18 years, sales of medicines for human use have continued to decline. A decline which reflects a change in behavior of patients and healthcare professionals in favor of the proper use of the medication. In addition, the vast majority of people who bring their MNU back to the pharmacy take care to carry out careful sorting beforehand, “separate, at home, empty packaging, boxes and instructions for material recycling in selective sorting”, indicates Cyclamed in a press release.
A survey published last March by the BVA polling institute indicated that 86% of French people who return their MNU to pharmacies first throw away completely empty containers in contact with the medication, in selective sorting.
The environment is the primary motivation
Among French people who return their MNU to pharmacies, 83% do so once a year. These are patients sensitive to environmental protection (primary motivation for 80% of them) and concerned about health safety (68% of them).
Finally, the study recalls that the first mode of knowledge of the Cyclamed device is the pharmacist, before television.
* The Cyclamed system recovers Unused Medications (UNMs), for human use, expired or not, in community pharmacies, without their packaging.