Google Maps and Search is now showing local results for permanent unused prescription drug disposal locations at pharmacies, hospitals and government buildings.
Combining data on prescription drug disposal locations was inspired by a winning entry at the federal Opioid Code-A-Thon held in 2018, said Dane Glasgow, on Google’s blog.
Last month, we saw that search queries for ‘medication disposal near me’ reached an all-time high on Google,” wrote Glasgow.
In 2018, Google partnered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for National Prescription Take Back Days by developing a locator tool for the temporary locations.
To develop the new, permanent feature Google is working with the DEA and federal agencies, pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS Health and state governments in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan and Pennsylvania that are contributing public and private disposal location data.
States and businesses can share prescription drug disposal location data for Google Maps and Search by contacting RXdisposal-data@google.com.
