Billions of home-generated sharps are disposed of incorrectly each year. These improperly disposed sharps can cause dangerous accidental needle sticks and can spread infections that cause serious health conditions.
As healthcare professionals, we know it is not uncommon for patients to visit their pharmacist with make-shift sharps container solutions—a plastic bag or soda bottle full of used sharps, unsure of what to do next.
At UltiMed, we believe safe sharps disposal starts with educating healthcare professionals and patients about the importance of proper sharps disposal. Our goal is to equip pharmacists with everything they need to teach their patients about safe sharps disposal.
Regulations in states across the country are changing quickly and becoming more stringent. Failure to comply with proper sharps disposal not only puts communities and healthcare workers at risk but is against the law in some states. We monitor and update Sharps Disposal Guidelines by State to help pharmacists and patients stay compliant.
The most recent change among home-generated safe sharps disposal is California Senate Bill 212, which requires pharmacies to provide or initiate distribution of a sharps waste container and mail-back materials through one of the following methods:
- (A) Provide a sharps waste container and mail-back materials to the ultimate user, at the point of sale or prior, at no cost to the ultimate user; or,
- (B) Arrange, at the point of sale or prior, for a sharps waste container and mail-back materials to be sent to the ultimate user and arrive within 5 business days at no cost or inconvenience to the ultimate user
In response to new California legislation and increasing regulations across the country, UltiMed has developed the UltiGuard Safe Pack Sharps Container & Mail-Back Disposal Kit—a 3-in-1 solution that includes:
- 100 pen needles or syringes
- FDA-cleared sharps container
- Prepaid return shipping box and mail-back materials
Best of all—there is no change in pharmacy workflow, and in most cases a patient’s copay won’t change.
To learn more about California Senate Bill 212 and the UltiGuard Safe Pack Sharps Container & Mail-Back Disposal Kit, visit DisposeMyNeedles.com.