Czech Republic records record 770 tons of expired medicine returned to pharmacies

In 2025, people in the Czech Republic returned a record 770.5 tons of expired or unused medicines to pharmacies for professional disposal. This represents an increase of nearly 20 tons compared to the 750.7 tons recorded the previous year and marks the highest volume in the last five years.

Despite the increase in proper disposal, a survey by NMS agency for the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry (AIFP) revealed that approximately one in five Czechs still disposes of expired medications in communal waste. While 64 percent of the population returns medicines to pharmacies, improper disposal remains a concern.

The survey also noted that while two-thirds of people check their home medicine cabinets at least once a year, only 31 percent assist elderly relatives with sorting and returning medications. Experts from the Association of Pharmacy Network Operators (APLEKS) recommend checking medicine cabinets every six months and remind citizens that expired drugs can be returned to any pharmacy, regardless of where they were originally purchased, to ensure safe and ecological disposal.