Jersey Urges Islanders to Cut Medicine Waste Amid £500,000 Annual Cost

Islanders are being encouraged to think twice before ordering repeat prescriptions as Jersey tackles an estimated £500,000 worth of unused medicines every year.

The Government of Jersey has launched a public awareness campaign urging patients to order only the medicines they currently need. The initiative aims to reduce unnecessary waste, safeguard healthcare resources and lessen the environmental impact of disposing of unused medication.

Officials say medicine waste continues to be a major challenge. Figures from the UK suggest that up to one in every 10 medicines dispensed goes unused, while around half of all medicines returned to pharmacies for disposal are still unopened.

As part of the campaign, pharmacies across the island are placing reminder labels on prescription bags encouraging patients to check their medicines before leaving the pharmacy and help reduce waste.

The government stressed that the campaign is not intended to limit access to medication or discourage people from taking prescribed treatment. Instead, it is designed to encourage patients to check what they already have at home before requesting repeat prescriptions.

A government spokesperson said patients will continue to be able to order repeat medicines whenever they are needed.

They added that, for safety reasons, medicines cannot be reissued to another patient once they have left a pharmacy, even if the packaging remains unopened.