KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE ABOUT STORAGE AND SAFE DISPOSAL OF UNUSED MEDICINES AMONG MEDICAL AND DENTAL PERSONNEL: ECOPHARMACOVIGILANCE PERSPECTIVE

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the storage and safe disposal of unused medicines among students at MGM Medical and Government Dental College, Indore, marking the first such assessment among this population. Method: A cross-sectional survey, approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee, utilized a questionnaire-based approach. Medical and dental students provided 509 responses, yielding a response rate of 96%. The pre-validated questionnaire, administered through Google Forms, encompassed sociodemographic details and sections on knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Statistical tools were employed for the analysis of response frequencies. Results: A response rate of 96% was achieved, with 509 participants providing insights. While participants exhibited awareness regarding medication expiry, storage conditions, and environmental contamination, a significant knowledge gap existed concerning standardized medication disposal methods. Despite a high acknowledgment (above 80%) of the reduction in efficacy post-expiry, safe drug disposal practices were found to be lacking. Conclusion: The prevailing practice of storing medicines at home until expiry, followed by disposal in the trash, persists despite awareness of the hazards associated with pharmaceuticals in the environment. This underscores a deficiency in knowledge and the absence of secure disposal methods. Respondents expressed a preference for evidence-based and environmentally friendly approaches to dispose of unwanted medications.