Medicines that go unused and are subsequently disposed of cost the UK's National Health Service (NHS) at least £480 million each year, according to an investigation by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). This volume of waste is equivalent to filling approximately 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
In the 2024/25 financial year, the NPA estimates that 3,400 tonnes of partially used medicines were discarded in England. This quantity is comparable to the weight of 560 African elephants or 3,000 cars.
The findings stem from an analysis of freedom of information requests submitted to local health bodies. The NPA is advocating for increased reviews for patients managing multiple repeat prescriptions to identify and cease unnecessary medications. They also urge the public to avoid over-ordering prescriptions, suggesting individuals only request medicines when genuinely needed.
Specialist disposal methods are required for medicines, costing the health service significantly when they are not managed correctly. Once dispensed to a patient, even if unopened and unused, medications cannot be restocked or returned. Improper disposal poses environmental risks, potentially contaminating water supplies.
Pharmacies report that patients frequently return incomplete courses of antibiotics, which can jeopardize their health and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, stated that wasted medicines represent funds that could be allocated to improved patient services. He highlighted that as soon as a medicine leaves the pharmacy, it must be disposed of, emphasizing the importance of patients ordering only what they are certain to use.
Dr. Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy, a senior lecturer in postgraduate medicine at the University of Hertfordshire, commented that medicine waste is not solely a financial and environmental issue but also a patient safety and resistance concern. Leftover antibiotics kept at home and taken without medical advice can fuel antimicrobial resistance, a significant threat to modern healthcare. She affirmed that regular medication reviews and ordering only necessary quantities protect patients, the NHS, and the environment.
An NHS England spokesperson noted that the service has implemented measures to enhance prescription management via the NHS app, including repeat prescriptions. They acknowledged that further action is needed and that various local NHS services are conducting campaigns to reduce medicine waste, contributing to broader efforts that have seen a decrease in the prescription of dependency-forming medications over the past decade.