Gov. pressed to adopt unused drug recycling

Gov. Deval L. Patrick vetoed a proposal to create recycling programs for certain unused medications, but supporters of the program in the state legislature are not giving up.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones Jr., R-North Reading, wrote a letter to Patrick urging him to reconsider idea.

The program, which would allow residents and consultant pharmacists in health care facilities to return unopened and unexpired prescription drugs, was axed from budget-balancing legislation. Patrick said that instead, the Department of Public Health will examine the possibility of implementing the program under its existing authority.

But Jones is urging Patrick to reconsider. In his letter to Patrick, Jones wrote, “The fact that such a program does not already exist is a concern. I look forward to working with you to ensure that this creative option for reducing costs in the Commonwealth is neither disregarded nor ignored.”

Jones said the program represented a new idea that would have generated “millions” of dollars in savings under Medicaid and eliminated the need for some budget cuts. He noted that 37 other states have similar laws on the books.