American Academy of Physician Assistants – www.aapa.org
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants – www.nccpa.net
Rhode Island License – www.health.ri.gov
Drug Enforcement Administration – www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov

DEA Prescription Recovery Program - Eight Rhode Island locations for DEA's "National (Drug) Take-Back"  on Saturday morning, September 25, 2010.

The Rhode Island Society of Anesthesia (RISA) and the Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS) support public service efforts to recover surplus prescription medications, including pain medications, from the community.

A first step will be the DEA-sponsored "National Take-Back Day" on Saturday, September 25. The eight police departments in Charlestown, Cumberland, East Providence, Middletown, Newport, Warren, Warwick and Woonsocket will be accepting unwanted medications between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day. (The attachment "DEA drop-off locations" provides street addresses for those eight recovery sites.)

A DEA press release on this national program is available at http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr081910.html In search of a longer-term solution for Rhode Island, RISA is leading a new coalition called the Rhode Island Drug Disposal Alliance (RIDDA). The purpose of RIDDA is to facilitate safe drug disposal and rid Rhode Island of hazardous, unwanted medications. 

Dr. Frederick W. Burgess, MD, PhD, Chief of Anesthesia at the Providence VA Hospital, is a leader in this effort (Frederick.Burgess@va.gov, 401-273-7100 ext 3267).