Frazer, PA — Cephalon, Inc. today announced that it has partnered with the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) to broaden the company's When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs program. This national education campaign provides patients, caregivers and the public with information about the abuse of prescription medications that affects as many as six million Americans and now surpasses the national use of most illegal "street drugs." The expanded program provides educational tools in select pharmacies across the country and online at the program website, www.GoodMedicinesBadDrugs.com. This new website features practical tips and information, including videos with leading experts in the pain and addiction community.
As part of the program's expansion, Cephalon partnered with ACPA and APhA to develop educational materials for use in the pharmacy, providing patients, caregivers and the public with information on how to safely and appropriately use prescription pain medicines. These materials include a countertop display and a patient CARE card, a graphic-based tool that shows how to use, store and dispose of prescription medicines.
"Pharmacists play a key role in educating the public about prescription medicines, and the expansion of this program provides hands-on resources to support those conversations with the goal of reducing prescription pain medicine abuse," says Dr. Lesley Russell, Chief Medical Officer at Cephalon. "The When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs program is part of our continued commitment to patient education to help ensure that prescription medications are used safely and by the appropriate patients."
Prescription medications play an important role in the management of medical conditions for millions of patients. Through the When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs program, Cephalon and its partners plan to educate nearly three million people and help remind patients to keep their medications safe in the home.
"Prescription medicine abuse is a growing concern in our country, so we need to use every available channel to communicate about safe use. As pharmacists, we promote public understanding of risks and benefits of prescription medications," says Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, SCD, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association. "With a greater understanding of how to use and store medicines safely and appropriately, patients, parents and caregivers can protect themselves, their families and their communities from the effects of inappropriate use."
"People with pain deserve appropriate treatment for their condition, including prescription pain medicines, but one of our goals as an organization is to help people learn how to use them safely and correctly," says Penney Cowan, Founder and Executive Director of the American Chronic Pain Association. "We are proud to be a part of this valuable program and to be able to provide people with easy-to-understand information on prescription medicines, including how they should be taken and what things should be avoided, as well as safe storage and disposal."
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