Spring Clean Your Medicine Cabinet this Earth Day
Pharmaca offers safe disposal of expired prescriptions and free coupons

Boulder, Colo. (April 7, 2006) - Expired prescriptions can do more than just clutter your medicine cabinet: according to the Environmental Protection Agency, these medications are showing up in low doses in our streams and drinking water. This April 22, Earth Day, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy invites customers to bring in expired prescriptions for safe disposal. Consumers will then receive a $2 coupon for every expired prescription (restrictions apply*).

Pharmaca accepts expired or unwanted prescriptions for safe disposal all year, but this event offers the incentive of a coupon and ties-in with the goals of Earth Day.

"Many consumers don't realize the health risks associated with holding on to expired prescriptions or throwing them in the trash," says Chris Turf, R.Ph., Director of Compounding and Medical Outreach for Pharmaca. "By offering an incentive to turn in old medications, both our customers and our planet benefit."

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy currently operates ten pharmacies nationwide, all of which blend conventional medicine, prescriptions and alternative treatments for a uniquely customized pharmacy experience. In addition to offering a distinctive mix of products, Pharmaca also provides customer advice from a credentialed staff of pharmacists, naturopaths, estheticians, and herbalists.

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy takes its commitment to the planet seriously. All ten stores offset their energy usage through 100% wind power, use recycled materials such as Interface carpet and Slatescape countertops, and Pharmaca shopping bags are 100% biodegradable.

To find the store nearest you, visit www.pharmaca.com.

About Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
Pharmaca, founded in June 2000 as the first integrative pharmacy in the U.S. and headquartered in Boulder, Colo., operates pharmacies that offer conventional and natural health solutions. The Company operates ten pharmacies in Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. www.pharmaca.com



Expired Medication Tip Sheet

Why to clean out your medicine cabinet?
• Hanging on to unused medications can increase the chances of taking the wrong one.
• Having unnecessary medications in the house increases the likelihood of overdose or childhood poisoning.
• Old drugs lose their potency.
• It's just plain tidy!

Why won't common disposal methods work?
• Flushing expired medications down the drain used to be the common solution. However, according to a study conducted four years ago by the United States Geological Survey, 80 percent of 139 streams sampled across 30 states detected very low concentrations of chemicals commonly found in prescription drugs¹.
• Flushing expired drugs can kill helpful bacteria in septic systems and pass largely untouched through sewage treatment plants.
• When you throw expired medicine in the trash, children and pets can get into these drugs and once in landfills, the drugs can trickle into groundwater.

Other facts:
• For many medications, it's best to take all of the medicine that has been prescribed, unless there is a specific reason to quit (such as side effects). This not only ensures that the recommended course of treatment is fulfilled, it also eliminates excess medication.
• One study estimates that Americans discard between $73 million and $378 million worth of drugs each year².