On Friday, August 30, 2013, in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Senior Center, the South College School of Pharmacy and the Oak Ridge Police Department, ASAP hosted “Ask a Pharmacist,” a lunch-and-learn event and medicine take-back at the Oak Ridge Senior Center. Eighteen seniors listened to Dr. Mike O’Neil from the South College School of Pharmacy as he delivered useful information regarding current problems seen with prescription drugs; information on how seniors can help protect themselves, their families and their medicines; and tools for storing and disposing of medicines. Dr. O’Neil stated, “People need to respect their medications, not fear them. NO medication is without risk. Every medication we take is a risk-benefit decision and many times the risks outweigh the benefits.”
Following the group presentation, seniors were given the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with a South College School of Pharmacy student or faculty Pharmacist to discuss specific questions regarding their personal prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. Officer Daniel McFee of the Oak Ridge Police Department was on site at the event to give seniors an opportunity to dispose of their unused, unwanted or expired medications. Coalition member and participant Wendy Williams said, “This was a really good program and very appropriate for the senior audience.”