Wasted medicine costs the NHS at least £480 million annually

Wasted medicines are costing the NHS in England at least £480 million every year, according to new industry figures highlighting the financial and environmental impact of unused treatments.

Figures from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) suggest huge quantities of unwanted medication are being returned to pharmacies for disposal each year. The latest estimate is considerably higher than the £300 million annual cost previously cited by the NHS, indicating that the scale and value of medicine waste could be greater than previously recognised.

Medicines can go unused for a variety of reasons, including changes to a patient’s treatment, prescriptions being altered, medicines expiring or people receiving repeat prescriptions for products they already have at home. Once medication has been dispensed to a patient, it cannot be returned to pharmacy stock and supplied to somebody else, even if the packaging remains unopened.

The issue creates both a financial and environmental burden. Pharmacies must arrange for unwanted medicines to be safely disposed of, while the production, packaging and transportation of treatments that are ultimately never used also consumes resources and contributes to the healthcare sector’s environmental footprint.

Patients are encouraged to check their existing supplies before ordering repeat prescriptions and only request medicines they currently need. Treatments that are not required during one repeat prescription cycle can still be ordered again when supplies begin to run low.

People should also speak to their pharmacist or GP practice if medicines they no longer use continue to appear on their repeat prescription, while unwanted or expired medicines can be returned to a community pharmacy for safe disposal.

With the NHS facing continued financial pressure, the NPA figures demonstrate the potential value of tackling avoidable medicines waste, ensuring healthcare funding and pharmaceutical supplies are used more effectively.

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