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Hy-Vee Pharmacies to Participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day April 27


April 25, 2019 | News & Press Releases


WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (April 25, 2019) — Hy-Vee, Inc. announced today that 52 Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska will participate in National Prescription Drug-Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27.


Drug take-back areas will be located in the Hy-Vee pharmacy or clinic’s parking lot and all prescription medications, including controlled substances, will be accepted. For a list of Hy-Vee locations participating in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, click here. Customers are encouraged to contact their local Hy-Vee Pharmacy location to find out the specific hours that the event in their area will take place.


The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Take-Back Day is a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. The last Take-Back Day brought in more than 900,000 pounds of unused or expired prescription medication across the country. 


According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.


“Drug addiction and overdose deaths claim the lives of tens of thousands of people each year, and Hy-Vee is continually working to assist in the fight,” said Kristin Williams, senior vice president and chief health officer for Hy-Vee. “We are proud to offer this easy way for people to dispose of their medications in a safe manner.”


Additionally, 43 Hy-Vee pharmacies in the state of Iowa have designated prescription drug take-back receptacles year-round in partnership with the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy. For more information about what medications are accepted and to find a listing of locations, visit https://odcp.iowa.gov/rxtakebacks.

Hy-Vee also offers naloxone without a prescription in all eight states where it operates pharmacies: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Naloxone can be administered to any person who has overdosed on a wide range of opioids, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and codeine, as well as heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids killed more than 47,000 people in 2017, more than any year on record. Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.


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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 245 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 80,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.