Mary Sundeen – Sr VP of Corporate Communications, DisposeRx

Opioids: Hidden Dangers, New Hope

Mary Sundeen, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, on educating people about the use of highly efficient site-of-use drug disposal solutions, such as DisposeRx, to save lives ~ "We see far too many deaths in this country each day. We have far too many funerals. We're burying far too many young people. There are too many coffins, too many processions, too much tears and sadness. A solution exists, we just need people to know about it and become educated and become empowered to use this highly efficient system to save lives." Mary Sundeen, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, DisposeRx Brian Wilson: With a background in hospice care, Mary Sundeen has seen opioids used appropriately as a tool for helping those at the end of life pass peacefully and without pain. But it's the diversion and misuse of prescription drugs that moved her to action. Now as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at DisposeRx, Mary has a strong message for our podcast. A message about site of use disposal the environmental impact of diverted drugs and how thinking as a society must evolve if we are to end the opioid crisis. Mary Sundeen on the Evolution of Drug Disposal Solutions Mary Sundeen: When I first joined DisposeRx I looked at this wonderfully simple elegant solution, and to me I look at this as a story of evolution. When we started with childproof caps back in 1970 that was to reduce some of the risk of accidental poisonings. We then moved along to take back days to try and harvest drugs. We then had kiosks that were used in different stores and different places. But none of those were the solution. I say that because in the presence of a decades long war on drugs, and in the presence of DEA take back days, and in the presence of kiosks, this crisis has escalated. How did we get where we are today if these things work? It's time for a new technology. The evolution of drug disposal is solutions such as Dispose RX - 100% eradication of the opportunity for drug misuse, abuse, or diversion. Brian Wilson: What is site of use? I mean i hear people say we want to take care of the problem at the site of use, but the site of use can be your home. What is Site-of-Use Drug Disposal? Mary Sundeen: Site of use is an industry term and it simply means get rid of the medication wherever it is. If you used it in your home to take care of a loved one and they passed away, get rid of it then. If you have shoulder surgery, or oral surgery and you're done with the pills, you took two of the 10 that the doctor gave you, get rid of the rest of them in your home. Wherever the pills are used is where you should get rid of them. July 1st a new law went into effect in the state of Kentucky that mandated that Hospices get rid of medication in the home at the time of the patient's death, or, actually more importantly, whenever that prescription has changed. Instead of changing from .25 milligrams to .50 and keeping the .25s, throw them out, get rid of them right away so you have fewer medications available in the home. Taking Action in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse Mary Sundeen: When I worked in Hospice, I saw the large amounts of medications in the homes of patients. Also, I've worked in the healthcare setting, in emergency rooms, and seen overdose patients come in. Those numbers are escalating. Calls to suicide hotlines are escalating. This is truly a crisis in our nation. I'm not one to sit back, nor is our founder, Dr. John Holaday, to sit back and watch such things without wanting to do something about it. The opportunity to work with this product is a fantastic one. Brian Wilson: Having been in the Hospice environment no doubt you have seen cases where at the end of someone's life the family is handed the belongings, which often include a box of medications. And, that's a problem isn't it because if they are carrying around th...