Greater Bay Shore coverage is funded in part by Shoregate, now leasing brand-new premium apartment homes in the heart of Bay Shore. Click here to schedule a tour.
Southside Hospital is offering a way to easily dispose of unused or expired prescription medications.
On Saturday, April 27, the Bay Shore hospital will be participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where staff will be accepting the medications no questions asked.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Southside Hospital will be accepting the leftover medication deposits.
Southside is one of 12 Northwell Health locations to be participating in this bi-annual event (scroll down to see other locations.)The last National Take Back Day was held in October, where Northwell Health collected around 330 pounds of unused prescriptions.
“When these medications remain in people’s medicine cabinets, they create an avenue of access, and can potentially be used for purposes other than their prescribed intent,” said Sandeep Kapoor, MD, director of Northwell Health’s Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 70,000-plus Americans died of overdoses in 2017.
“We appreciate our community members partnering with us to safely remove these unneeded medications from their homes,” said Kapoor. “Together, we can assist our communities as we all work to navigate the substance use crisis we are facing.”
Participating Northwell locations
Lenox Health Greenwich Village and Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan
Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park
Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson
Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco
North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset
Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead
Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow
Southside Hospital in Bay Shore
Staten Island University Hospital’s North and South campuses.
For more information about National Drug Take Back Day, go to https://takebackday.dea.gov/.
Top: Outside view of Southside Hospital in Bay Shore (courtesy photo).