WOONSOCKET, R.I., Oct. 18,
2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Pharmacy, the retail division
of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), announced today that it has begun using
time delay safes in all of its 329 stores in Ohio, including pharmacies in Cleveland, Akron and Toledo. The safes help prevent pharmacy
robberies and combat the ongoing opioid epidemic by keeping
controlled substance narcotic medications from being misused or
abused by keeping them out of the hands of unauthorized
individuals. In addition, the safes will help CVS Pharmacy ensure
the safety and well-being of its customers and employees.
Controlled substance narcotic medications that are sought after
by robbers, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, are now stored in
time delay safes in every CVS Pharmacy store in the state of
Ohio. Time delay safes help deter
pharmacy robberies by electronically delaying the time it takes for
pharmacy employees to be able to open the safe. In 2017, stores in
Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton began using time delay safes. Since
those safes were installed, CVS Pharmacy has seen a 50 percent drop
in pharmacy robberies in those markets.
"The installation of time delay safes at pharmacies in several
of our Ohio markets has proven to
be a deterrent for pharmacy robbers," said Alisa Ulrey, Division Vice President of CVS
Pharmacy in Ohio. "We know that
time delay safes, combined with other security policies and
procedures in place at our stores, have drastically reduced
robberies in our pharmacies and we are pleased to be able to
implement them in all of our Ohio
stores."
"The battle against the opiate epidemic continues locally and
across the state of Ohio. The
fight isn't over," explained Sheriff George
T. Maier. "But, with each new resource and each new
partnership developed we take another step towards victory. I
commend CVS for answering the call to action and playing a role in
the ongoing effort to create safer communities."
The time delay function cannot be overridden and is designed to
serve as a deterrent to would-be pharmacy robbers whose goal is to
enter and exit their robbery targets as quickly as possible. All
CVS Pharmacy locations with time delay safes are displaying
highly-visible signage to inform the public that time delay safes
are in use to prevent on-demand access to controlled substance
narcotics.
The implementation of time delay safes across CVS Pharmacy
stores in Ohio is the latest in a
series of measures put in place by CVS Health to help combat
prescription drug abuse in the state of Ohio. CVS Health's commitment to preventing
and addressing prescription drug abuse also includes community
education, efforts to encourage safe disposal of unused medication
and increasing access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug
naloxone. The company's Pharmacists Teach program brings CVS
Pharmacists to schools across the country to talk to students about
the dangers of prescription drug abuse. More than 400,000 students
across the country, including more than 15,000 in Ohio, have participated in the
program.
CVS Health has also completed installation of 29 safe medication
disposal units in CVS Pharmacy stores in Ohio, in addition to the 38 units it has
donated to Ohio law enforcement
agencies. Nationwide, 750 safe medication disposal units have been
installed in CVS Pharmacy locations, adding to the more than 900
units the company has donated to law enforcement agencies. In
total, the company has facilitated more than 1,650 units
nationwide, which have collected more than 480,000 pounds, or 217
metric tons of unwanted medication, including more than 18,000
pounds, or more than eight metric tons in Ohio alone. Increasing community access to
safe medication disposal helps rid homes of unused medications that
could otherwise be diverted, abused or contaminate the water supply
if disposed of improperly.
Additionally, CVS Health has worked with 48 states – including
Ohio – to increase access to the
opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, also known as Narcan.
Patients can obtain this life-saving medication, which is a safe
and effective antidote to opioid overdoses, without an individual
prescription in these states.
About CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division
of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy
with over 9,800 locations. It is the first national pharmacy to end
the sale of tobacco and the first pharmacy in the nation to receive
the Community Pharmacy accreditation from URAC, the leading health
care accreditation organization that establishes quality standards
for the health care industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy
to help people on their path to better health by providing the most
accessible and personalized expertise, both in its stores and
online at CVS.com. General information about CVS Pharmacy is
available at http://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contact:
Amy
Lanctot
(401) 770-2931
Amy.Lanctot@CVSHealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Pharmacy