Data on Quantity, Value and Disposal Costs of Medication Wastage in Public Healthcare Institutions in Past 10 Years and Wastage Reduction Measures

Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) for each year in the past decade, what is the quantity and value of unused, unwanted or expired medication returned by patients to public healthcare institutions; (b) what is the annual cost of disposing such medication; and (c) what measures are being taken to reduce medication wastage.

The Ministry neither tracks medication returned by patients nor disposal costs of such items in public healthcare institutions. However, there are measures in place to help reduce medication wastage.

Firstly, public healthcare institutions generally supply patients with sufficient medication to last until their next appointment and do not provide excess medication. For newly prescribed medications, a shorter duration may be dispensed initially and subsequently refilled if there are no side effects.

Secondly, together with patients or their caregivers, pharmacists will review the prescribed medication regime including adherence to medication, at relevant transition points of care to identify medications that are no longer required and minimise unnecessary wastage. As excess medication is not routinely dispensed, returned medications are more commonly due to patients passing on.

Lastly, public education efforts play an important role in reducing medication wastage. The Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore conducts outreach and public education activities to encourage patients not to over-collect medications. Complementing these efforts, the Ministry of Health "Know Your Meds" Series educates patients on how to keep track of their medication supplies and avoid overstocking which might result in wastage.