On Saturday, October 24, Phoebe will host a drug take back event in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with disposal locations in Albany, Americus and Sylvester – giving communities the opportunity to safely and conveniently dispose of prescription drugs.

“The goal of this event is to help prevent pill abuse and remove potentially expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs from homes. With this event we cannot only provide a safe, convenient and responsible means for medication disposal but also educate our communities about the potential abuse of old and unused medications – helping to keep our communities safe,” said Dr. Jason Langer, Phoebe General Surgery.

Phoebe’s Drug Take Back Event is free and no questions will be asked. All medication disposal locations will be accepting expired/unused narcotics/prescriptions as well as injectable medications, such as pre-loaded allergy and migraine medications or insulin needles, and any other prescription, veterinary or over-the-counter medications. To keep everyone safe, each of Phoebe’s sites will be a drive-up/through event and will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines.   

Medication collection locations:

• Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital - Albany

Side parking lot on Jefferson St., next to the Parking Deck and across from street from the old Albany Middle/High School 

• Phoebe Sumter Medical Center - Americus

Main hospital guest parking lot; please enter campus from Highway 280.

• Phoebe Worth Medical Center - Sylvester

Specialty Clinic parking area adjacent to main entrance. 

The DEA hosts National Take Back Days in April and October. This October event marks the DEA’s 19^th nationwide drug take back event since its inception 10 years ago.  Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 883,000 pounds of medications (over 440 tons). In Georgia, 70 tons were collected.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets make them vulnerable for accidents, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. 

Phoebe would like to thank its community partners in southwest Georgia who are helping to make the event possible: Georgia Department of Public Health, Albany/Dougherty Drug Unit, Keep Albany/Dougherty Beautiful, Morehouse School of Medicine, Americus Police Department and Sylvester Police Department.

For more information about Phoebe’s Drug Take Back event, visit phoebequality.com and click National Rx Drug Take Back.