Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the name of the Oct. 28 event as “Drug Enforcement Administration National Take Back Day” following an updated news release from HCA Healthcare's Gulf Coast Division on Oct. 24.

Three hospitals around the Greater Houston area will be participating in HCA Healthcare's Drug Enforcement Administration National Take Back Day prescription takeback event Oct. 28, seeking to educate the community on the prescription drug misuse and provide a safe way to dispose of medications, according to an Oct. 19 news release.

What's happening

HCA hospitals are partnering with local law enforcement officers to collect unused or expired medications at:

• HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast, 4000 Spencer Highway, Pasadena
• HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball, 605 Holderrieth Blvd., Tomball
• The Woman's Hospital of Texas, 7600 Fannin St., Houston

The event takes place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 28.

Local law enforcement officers will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of:

• Hydrocodone
• Oxycodone
• Tramadol
• Codeine
• Fentanyl
• Morphine
• Hydromorphone
• Oxymorphone

Community members are welcome to bring any medications to turn in; ointments, lotions, drops, liquid medication in leak-proof containers, vape cartridges without batteries and pet medications will also be accepted. However, needles, syringes, lancets and liquids will not be accepted at the drug takeback event, according to the release.


What else?

In 2022, more than 100 HCA Healthcare facilities across the U.S. collected and safely disposed of 19,423 pounds of medication, which is the highest amount collected of any of HCA's drug takeback events to date. This year's event is HCA's fourth annual initiative, according to the release.