WOONSOCKET, R.I., July 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its
commitment to helping build healthier communities, CVS Pharmacy,
the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), today applauded
Governor David Ige and the state
legislature for enacting new legislation (HB-1272) that will enable
the installation of safe medication disposal units this month in
many Longs Drugs locations across Hawaii. CVS Health and CVS Pharmacy operate
Longs Drugs in Hawaii.
"CVS Health applauds this legislation, as it marks an important
step in reducing opportunities for medication misuse by ensuring
that patients have a local resource to dispose of unused
medications promptly, safely, and securely," said Jon Roberts, Chief Operating Officer of CVS
Health. "Planning for the implementation of these disposal
resources in many of our Longs stores is already underway."
With the new law in place, CVS Pharmacy will install 17 in-store
disposal units in select Longs locations in July across several
state counties, including Hawaii,
Honolulu, Kauai and Maui.
To help make year-round disposal options more accessible, CVS
Pharmacy has installed safe medication disposal units in more than
1,100 CVS Pharmacy locations across the country and has donated
over 960 additional units to community locations such as police
departments. Together, these units have collected more than 376
metric tons, or 828,000 pounds, of unwanted medication that might
otherwise could have been diverted, misused or ended up in our
water supplies.
CVS Pharmacy plans to roll-out additional safe medication
disposal units across the country by the end of 2019, as part of a
commitment announced at the end of last year to help provide more
disposal options in our communities. The company is also partnering
with Google Maps to make it easier for consumers to find year-round
medication disposal options.
"When patients leave unused medications, especially opioids, in
a medicine cabinet, there is a risk that those medications might be
misused or diverted, which is why we have worked to help increase
access to and awareness of safe medication disposal options in the
communities we serve," added Roberts. "Providing more options for
the proper disposal of unused medications is just one of the ways
that CVS Health is working to help combat opioid misuse, in
Hawaii and across the
country."
Visit here for more information on CVS Health's opioid misuse
prevention programs.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is the nation's premier
health innovation company helping people on their path to better
health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health
services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to
total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible,
simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally
focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where
they need it. The Company has more than 9,900 retail locations,
approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy
benefits manager with approximately 92 million plan members, a
dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one
million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services,
and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
CVS Health also serves an estimated 38 million people through
traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance
products and related services, including rapidly expanding Medicare
Advantage offerings. This innovative health care model increases
access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers
overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS
Health is shaping the future of health at
https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contacts:
Joe
Goode, (781) 799-6048
Joseph.Goode@cvshealth.com
Brent Burkhardt, (410)
299-2528
bburkhardt@tbc.us
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SOURCE CVS Health