Channel 2 News Health Watch: Safe Rx Locking Prescription Bottle

Oct 10, 2022 Posted by: SAFE RX

Health Watch: Safe Rx Locking Prescription Bottle

"The CDC reports that more than one and a half million people had an opioid use disorder in the last year alone. Safe Rx is working to chip away at that number, one combination lock at a time." Listen as Austin Pollard describes his experiences and why he is an advocate for safe medication storage. In conjunction with Safe Rx President and CEO, Milton Cohen, they speak about prevention of drug misuse through Locking Pill Bottles.

President and CEO Milton Cohen Discusses Melatonin Safety With Healthline

Sep 30, 2022 Posted by: SAFE RX child safety, medication safety, Melatonin

If your child is having trouble sleeping, it might be tempting to reach for “natural” melatonin supplements at the drug store.

But parents may want to think twice before giving melatonin to young children and seek a physician’s opinion first, according to a new health advisory from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Melatonin, a hormone that’s produced naturally in the brain and helps regulate sleep, is the second-most popular supplement that parents give their children after multivitamins.

AASM officials say this poses potential harm given that melatonin is sold in the United States as a dietary supplement and therefore is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

The past decade has seen a sharp increase in melatonin-related calls to poison control centers in the United States, increasing 530 percent from 2012 to 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrusted Source (CDC).

Safer Pill Bottle Pilot Project Begins in Union County

Jul 12, 2022 Posted by: SAFE RX

Union County Daily Digital - July 11, 2022

Jennifer Thrush
Public Information Officer
Union County Health Department

Could innovative prescription bottles help people battling substance use? This is a question the Union County Drug Overdose Prevention Coalition in close partnership with Lower Lights Christian Health Center-Union Star and several locally owned pharmacies are exploring. The Coalition and its partners are piloting an effort to offer SafeRx locking prescription pill bottles to local residents receiving Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).

MOUD is an evidence-based method of treating substance use disorder and helps to break the cycle of addiction. However, in Union County, professionals helping people fight substance use have noticed many barriers to individuals receiving MOUD. One barrier is fear of medication being stolen or misused by others. The SafeRx bottle provides a solution to reduce the risk of diversion or medication theft. The locked container allows medication to be secure at home and on the go – an important component given MOUD treatment requires medication to be taken at the same time each day. The locked pill bottle also offers clients validation that their medication is legally being prescribed and monitored by health care professionals.

According to Clinical Director of Addiction Services at Lower Lights Christian Health Center, Sarah Channell MS, APRN, NP-C, “we are educating first responders, law enforcement, and other providers within the community to promote the use of locking pill bottles for all controlled addiction treatment medications. We are working on barriers with the retail pharmacies and the independent pharmacies are very excited about this pilot project and we continue to advocate for medication safety within our community for all people.”

Three local pharmacies and three local treatment providers have agreed to join the Coalition’s pilot project including Dave’s Pharmacy, Richwood Pharmacy, the Plain City Druggist, Lower Lights Christian Health Center, Maryhaven, and Lighthouse Behavioral Solutions.

News 