House committee hears Rep. Dean’s bill on drug disposal program

AUSTIN, Texas (KLTV) - A Texas House of Representatives committee discussed a Longview representative’s bill on Monday.

Rep. Four Price (R-Amarillo) presented HB 1373, written by Rep. Jay Dean (R-Longview), to the committee on Public Health on Monday morning. Dean’s bill would establish a pilot program for the safe disposal of unused prescription drugs, in an effort to remove this potentially dangerous excess from the public.

According to the bill text on the House website, the program would be delegated to pharmacies and funded by the state. This funding would be allocated to collection receptacles, supplies for a mail-back option, destruction of the drugs by incineration, and other operational costs.

Dr. Kristen Aldred, Director of Government affairs at Stericycle, spoke in favor of the bill. She said that people often are unsure of what to do with their leftover medication, and while they know not to throw them away or wash them down the sink, they typically leave the drugs in their homes or vehicles. Dr. Aldred and the organization she represents believe that the best solution to this is a drug-takeback program such as the one presented in HB 1373.

No witnesses spoke against the bill, which has been left pending to be discussed and voted upon at a later date.

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