CHESTERFIELD, England, Oct. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it will provide more than 60,000 drug deactivation pouches to families in West Virginia to encourage the safe and responsible disposal of leftover prescription pain medications.
Mallinckrodt purchased and donated 55,000 pouches as part of a statewide initiative announced today by U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). Each of the state's 55 counties will receive 1,000 pouches for their residents. Sen. Manchin's office will work with each county sheriff's office and local law enforcement, drug prevention coalitions and senior centers to distribute the pouches free of charge. Mallinckrodt also is making the pouches available at Walmart store pharmacy locations across the state.
The user-friendly pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing unused medications in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, the pouch can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash. The pouches are completely biodegradable, providing an environmentally responsible way to deactivate and dispose of drugs. These donations are part of Mallinckrodt's 1-million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the U.S. today.
"As a company focused on the health and well-being of our patients and communities, Mallinckrodt has long been a strong advocate of addressing the complex issues of opioid misuse and abuse that cause so much harm to families," said Mark Trudeau, Mallinckrodt President and Chief Executive Officer.
"We share the concerns of parents across the nation, and believe that providing patients with a safe, environmentally responsible way to dispose of unused medications is critical in this fight against prescription drug abuse," added Trudeau. " Mallinckrodt is committed to working with policy makers, community leaders, law enforcement and industry partners to ensure the responsible use of pain medication and prevent unused medications from ending up in the wrong hands."
The initiative reinforces Mallinckrodt's long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of medications and collaboration with community leaders and organizations who share its goal of building public awareness of the critical role of responsible drug disposal in the fight against prescription drug abuse.
A national survey of U.S. adults who used opioids showed that nearly 6 out of 10 had or expect to have leftover opioids, according to findings published online June 13, 2016 , in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Nearly 68 percent of those who used prescription pain relievers non-medically in 2012-2013 got them from friends or relatives, according to the 2013 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health .
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
ABOUT MALLINCKRODT
Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products and therapies, as well as nuclear imaging products. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and hemostasis products; and central nervous system drugs. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines; its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing; and the Nuclear Imaging segment includes nuclear imaging agents. To learn more about Mallinckrodt , visit www.mallinckrodt.com.
Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website.
CONTACTS
Media
Rhonda Sciarra
Senior Communications Manager
908-238-6765
rhonda.sciarra@mallinckrodt.com
Meredith Fischer
Chief Public Affairs Officer
314-654-3318
meredith.fischer@mallinckrodt.com
Government Affairs
Mark Tyndall
Vice President, Government Affairs
202-213-9388
mark.tyndall@mallinckrodt.com
Investor Relations
Coleman N. Lannum, CFA
Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO
314-654-6649
cole.lannum@mallinckrodt.com
Daniel J. Speciale, CPA
Director, Investor Relations
314-654-3638
daniel.speciale@mallinckrodt.com
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/167103LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mallinckrodt-pharmaceuticals-donates-drug-deactivation-pouches-to-enable-safe-disposal-of-prescription-drugs-in-west-virginia-300351065.html
SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
