For Immediate Release: May 8, 2012

Contact: Angela Conover, National Media Director, AMCC, 201-916-1030 (c), 973-467-2138 (o)

AMCC Launches First In the Nation Prescription Drug Prevention Mobile App

“AMCC Rx Drop” Will Direct Users to Safe Rx Disposal Sites

Washington DC -- The American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC), the nation’s largest privately funded public health campaign preventing prescription drug abuse, announced today, the release of a mobile app ‘AMCC Rx Drop’ connecting users to the locations of permanent prescription drug collection boxes for the collection of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine.

This free App, sponsored by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA), will link to the AMCC directory of local, county and state law enforcement sponsored permanent collection sites across the country. Currently, the app links to hundreds of collection sites in 41 states across the country. It is available in both the Apple and Android stores.

“Having 24 hour access – in the palm of your hand—to locations of permanent sites will help parents and grandparents protect their families by safely disposing of their unused, unwanted, and expired medicine,” explained AMCC Chief Executive Officer Angelo M. Valente. “GPhA has been a longtime supporter of the AMCC and this new App will provide an important new tool to help us achieve our shared goal of ensuring that medications made to improve the quality of lives are not abused,” said Ralph G. Neas, President and CEO of GPhA. “The generic pharmaceutical industry is committed to working with all stakeholders to put a stop to the problem of prescription drug diversion in the United States and help make certain that caregivers and family members are not alone in this fight.”

 The ONDCP reports 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtained them from friends or relatives.

Prescription drug abuse results in one death every 19 minutes in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Valente encouraged all residents to take the American Medicine Chest 5-Step Challenge:  taking inventory and securing medicine in the home, disposing of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine, taking medicine only as prescribed, and talking to children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

AMCC is a not-for-profit community based public health initiative, with over 1,000 community and law enforcement partnerships in all 50 states, designed to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and provide safe disposal.

AMCC is sponsored by PhRMA, The American College of  Emergency Physicians, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, the Partnership at DrugFree.org, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Covanta Energy, and Consumer Healthcare Products Association.