Establish a drug disposal council to ensure safety

The Ministry of Health has just issued Circular No. 30/2025/TT-BYT guiding the application of quality standards, testing of drugs, pharmaceutical ingredients, and recall and handling of violating drugs.

A case of indiscriminate disposal of poor quality drugs into the environment has made people worried.

According to the circular, the Ministry of Health stipulates that drug destruction is carried out in one of the following cases: expired drugs; drugs damaged during production, storage, and transportation; drugs whose storage period has expired according to regulations; drugs recalled due to violations of level 1 or level 2; counterfeit drugs, smuggled drugs, drugs of unknown origin, drugs containing banned substances; drugs produced from raw materials that do not meet quality standards, except in cases where the unachieved indicators are handled during the production process and do not affect the production process and drug quality...

The Ministry of Health also pointed out that the destruction of drugs at manufacturing, importing, wholesaling, drug testing facilities, hospitals, and institutes with beds is carried out when the head of the facility has a decision to establish a Drug Destruction Council to organize the destruction of drugs, decide on the destruction method and supervise the destruction of drugs. The Council has at least 3 people, of which 1 representative must be the professional in charge of the facility.

Drug disposal must ensure safety for people and animals and avoid environmental pollution according to environmental protection laws.

The facility whose drugs are destroyed must take full responsibility for the destruction of the drugs and must have a report with the drug destruction record sent to the local health department for cases of drug destruction.

Regarding the destruction of drugs at retail establishments, clinics and medical treatment facilities, the Ministry of Health stipulates that drug destruction is carried out according to a contract with a facility with the function of industrial waste treatment. The person in charge of the professional activities of the retail establishment and the head of the clinic or medical treatment facility is responsible for drug destruction, supervising the destruction of drugs and storing documents on drug destruction.

MINH KHANG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lap-hoi-dong-huy-thuoc-de-dam-bao-an-toan-post802433.html