BOISE — Thousands of dollars in prescription drugs are literally being flushed down the toilet.
Boise Senator Les Bock has introduced a bill that will put that to a stop.
The bill would allow unused prescription drugs to be given to facilities in need.
NewsChannel 7 went to an assisted living facility that is flushing up to $100,000 worth of unused prescription drugs down the toilet a year.
“It’s such a waste, it’s such a waste of something that could be used,” said Martie Hawkins with Genesis World Mission.
Twice a month, prescription pills are popped out of their case and flushed down the toilet.
That’s $112, there’s $125, here’s $406, here’s $258. There’s a grand right there,” said Tina Crawford.
At Aaren Brooke Place they currently have 68 residents that require on average 25 medications a day, and when one either dies or gets a change in their prescription…
“We get to throw away his old medications,” said Crawford.
Sen. Les Bock is looking to change that.
“It’s an attempt to authorize people or organizations to donate drugs that have not been used in the facilities, to pre-clinics or community health centers so those drugs can then be in those community health centers,” said Bock.
For the Genesis World Mission, which provides free health care to hundreds of people, its prescription drug program is one of their highest costs.
“We would be able to save the costs of providing the drug to them in the very beginning, and be able to help so many more people,” said Hawkins.
But organizations like the Idaho Board of Pharmacy have some concerns with the version of the bill they saw.
They’re worried about the the drugs being tampered with, and they’re also concerned the bill violates current law.
But Bock is hopeful his bill will become law before the end of this session.
“There should be no reason that we cannot polish it up, get it ready, make sure we have buy-in from all of the players, and actually get it done,” said Bock.
Hawkins says they provide medication for up to 10 people each week.
She says they would be able to use 80 to 90 percent of the prescription drugs that are currently being thrown away.
Idaho law requires unused prescription drugs either be flushed down the toilet, or put in a lock box with coffee grinds or cat litter along with water then taken to the dump.