Events: Family awareness reduces the misuse and improper storage of medicines

The campaign comes under the slogan "Safe Medicine Without Waste... Awareness in Use and Efficiency in Spending," to emphasize that the issue of pharmaceutical waste is not only related to medicines that expire or remain unused in homes, but extends to irrational consumption patterns, dispensing quantities exceeding needs, poor storage of medicines, and a lack of sufficient awareness of how to handle and dispose of them safely.

The Jordan Charitable Medicines Bank and the Parliamentary Health and Food Committee had announced the launch of the campaign at an official meeting held in the House of Representatives, during which it was also announced that an annual national week for awareness of pharmaceutical waste would be organized, with the participation of official, health, pharmaceutical, and academic entities, civil society institutions, and the media.

In this context, the role of professional associations, societies, regulatory institutions, the private sector, and religious, youth, and media institutions stands out in translating the campaign's goals into daily practice, which enhances the protection of citizens' health and supports the efficiency of pharmaceutical spending.

The Secretary of the Pharmacists Syndicate, Dr. Abdul Hamid Al-Olimat, emphasized that the pharmacist is a key partner in spreading pharmaceutical awareness and constitutes an essential link in the system of safe use of medicine, noting that his responsibility is not limited to dispensing medicine, but includes health education, answering patients' inquiries, and promoting adherence to therapeutic instructions. He stressed the importance of strengthening awareness campaigns that reach citizens in pharmacies, health centers, and educational institutions, contributing to establishing a pharmaceutical culture based on knowledge and responsibility.

The Secretary-General of the Societies Registry, Dr. Nasser Al-Shraideh, pointed out that charitable and voluntary societies are an important partner in disseminating awareness messages, due to their direct contact with families and local communities, and their ability to organize field initiatives and activities. He explained that the participation of societies in the "Safe Medicine Without Waste" campaign can contribute to delivering information related to the rational use of medicines, raising awareness of the dangers of random storage, and promoting healthy behaviors within homes.

For her part, the President of the Jordanian Women Pharmacists Forum, pharmacist Dr. Maram Al-Hajj, confirmed that women pharmacists are capable of contributing effectively to spreading awareness of the safe use of medicine, especially regarding educating families on how to store medicines, adhering to dosages, and not using old prescriptions or medicines intended for other people. She added that the forum can, in cooperation with the campaign organizers, support specialized awareness activities that invest in female pharmaceutical expertise and provide simplified and accurate information that helps citizens make sound health decisions.

The advisor to the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Munir Al-Jaafari, indicated that preserving medicine and not wasting health resources represent an aspect of moral and social responsibility, and that religious awareness can contribute to promoting positive behaviors within the family and society. He explained that mosques, preaching programs, and community activities can deliver simplified messages about the importance of preserving blessings, not buying or storing medicines without need, adhering to medical directives, and not exposing others to danger by sharing medicines with them.

For her part, Dr. Malak Al-Mahayreh from the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) emphasized the importance of raising the level of awareness of correct practices for handling medicines, starting from purchasing and using them, through storing them according to specified instructions, and ending with disposing of them safely when they expire or are no longer needed. She added that strengthening the partnership between regulatory bodies, health institutions, civil society, and the media represents an important element in spreading the correct pharmaceutical culture and reducing practices that may affect the safety of citizens or lead to the waste of pharmaceutical resources.

The President of the Jordanian Laboratory Association, Dr. Anam Subeihat, confirmed that the rational use of medicine is linked to the integration of medical, laboratory, and clinical information, and the importance of performing the required tests when the doctor decides they are necessary, and relying on medical results in following up on health conditions. She praised the launch of the "Safe Medicine Without Waste" campaign, due to the importance of awareness in reducing pharmaceutical waste.

Dr. Rola Qiyam, a medicine warehouse manager, said that reducing pharmaceutical waste begins with effective inventory management, accurate demand forecasting, monitoring expiration dates, and adhering to appropriate storage conditions. She emphasized that the responsibility of the pharmaceutical sector does not stop at providing medicines, but includes adherence to quality and safety standards, strengthening cooperation with health and regulatory authorities, and contributing to initiatives that spread a culture of rational use and reduce losses resulting from waste.

Youth activist Firas Taamneh said that young people are capable of playing an influential role in spreading a culture of safe medicine use through voluntary initiatives, purposeful digital content, and community activities. He stressed that youth participation in this campaign represents a model of voluntary work that combines community service with public health protection and reinforces the concept of individual responsibility towards health resources.

Journalist Islam Mutair said that the "Safe Medicine Without Waste" campaign opens the door for the media to shed light on an issue that affects both citizens' health and the national economy, and requires continuous professional treatment that is not limited to news coverage when initiatives are launched. She added that digital media can contribute to correcting misconceptions, provided that information is verified before publication and reliance is placed on specialized medical and regulatory sources.

The President of the Physical Therapy Association, Nidal Abu Salim, emphasized that the rational use of medicines requires the integration of roles between various healthcare providers, and that each specialty must adhere to its scope of practice, while referring the patient to a doctor when a pharmaceutical evaluation or treatment adjustment is needed. He added that physical therapy centers can support the campaign through health education directed at patients, clarifying the importance of taking or stopping medicines based only on a doctor's advice, which enhances patient safety and the integration of the healthcare provided to them.