Saturday, October 25 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

The next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday, October 25, 2025. Select locations in our community will host booths where patients can dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is a no-questions-asked biannual event (held in April and October) where communities throughout the country set up collection sites for the safe disposal of expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications. Proper disposal of unused drugs can prevent accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose.

Since the majority of people who misuse prescription drugs obtain them from family and friends, often from home medicine cabinets, the Take-Back Day event provides Americans with an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and deaths due to overdose while also helping to protect the environment. In addition, the event serves to educate the general public about medication abuse. Collection sites are held at hospital, retail and clinic pharmacies, as well as law enforcement facilities.

Over 18.5 million pounds (9,285 tons) of prescription drugs collected by the DEA since the first Take-Back Day back in the fall of 2010.

UH Permanent Prescription Drug Collection Sites

Available year-round.