RxDispose is a user-friendly web application designed to promote safe and environmentally responsible disposal of medications.
It offers a dual functionality: it first helps users determine whether their medications can be safely flushed, and then assists them in locating nearby disposal sites. Users can effortlessly search for the nearest take-back locations by either enabling their current location or entering a zip code, ensuring easy access to the 10 closest drop-off points.
Many people have unused or expired prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines at home.
You should get rid of a medicine when:
• Your health care provider changes your prescription but you still have some medicine left
• You feel better and your provider says you should stop taking the medicine
• You have OTC medicines that you no longer need
• You have medicines that are past their expiration dates
Do not take expired medicines. They may not be as effective or the ingredients of the medicine may have changed. This can make them unsafe for use.
The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program or at home.
Drug Take Back Programs:
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide.
You can also check with your pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer on-site medicine drop-off boxes, mail-back programs, and other ways to help you safely dispose your unused medicines.
Disposing Medicines at Home:
When a take back option is not easily available, there are two ways to dispose of medicines at home, depending on the drug.
Flushing medicines: As some medicines are harmful to others, they usually have directions to immediately flush them in a toilet or sink when they are no longer needed and there is take back program readily available.
Disposing medicines in household trash: If a take back program is not available, almost all medicines, except those on the FDA flush list, can be thrown into your household trash. These include prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
RxDispose is a dynamic app designed to help users find pharmacies within a specified radius. Built on Flask, a Python web framework, it incorporates the Google Maps Geocoding and Directions APIs for location-based services. The core functionality involves scraping pharmacy data from the DEA's website using Selenium, and then filtering and geocoding the data based on user input, such as latitude, longitude, zip code, and desired radius.
Concurrent processing is employed to enhance performance, and Flask-Caching is used to cache geocoding results, improving response times. The backend provides two main routes: one for rendering the main page and another for fetching pharmacies based on user criteria, with the latter returning a JSON response.
By integrating web scraping, geocoding, caching, and concurrent processing, RxDispose offers a streamlined and efficient solution for users seeking pharmacies based on location, delivering a smooth and responsive experience.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day: October 28 2023, 10AM to 2PM
“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an important part of DEA’s efforts to fight the overdose epidemic and save lives,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “I encourage everyone across the country to dispose of unneeded medications throughout the year to help keep our communities safe and healthy.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, over 107,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose last year. This figure means that someone in the United States is dying of a drug overdose every 5 minutes.
Last Year Results:
• Total Law Enforcement Participation: 4,497
• Total Collection Sites: 663,725 lbs. (332 Tons)
• Total Weight All Time: 17,300,454 lbs. (8,650 Tons)
Ryan Kwon at Bergen Catholic High School is a young visionary with a profound interest in science and technology. His academic pursuits are a clear reflection of his dedication and enthusiasm for these fields. As he navigates through his educational journey, Ryan is deeply engaged in exploring and understanding the complexities of science and technology, demonstrating his commitment to excelling in areas that captivate his interest. His approach to learning and personal development is both strategic and passionate, marking him as a student with clear goals and a strong drive to achieve them.
Apart from his academic pursuits, Ryan is deeply engaged in community service. He is the Founder and President of WhiteCross, a New Jersey non-profit corporation. Through this organization, he has spearheaded an unused medication disposal campaign, showcasing his commitment to public health and safety. His volunteer work also extends to the Bright Side Family Senior Housing and Supportive Care, where he was actively involved from 2015 to 2018. Additionally, he volunteered at the Roman Catholic Church of Korean Martyrs.
RxDispose simplifies medication disposal by allowing users to check if their medicines are flushable and easily locate the nearest disposal sites using their current location or a zip code to find the 10 closest facilities.