Wasted medicines in England could fill 75 swimming pools annually
The National Pharmacy Association estimates 3,400 tonnes of partly used medicines were discarded in England in 2024-25, costing the NHS at least £480m a year, and is urging patients to order only what they need.
England discards enough unused medicine each year to fill roughly 75 swimming pools, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). Drawing on data from regional health bodies, the group estimated that 3,400 tonnes of partly used medicines were thrown away in 2024-25, at a cost to the NHS of at least £480m annually.
NPA chair Olivier Picard said wasted medicines drain funds that could otherwise improve patient services, and that the waste also carries environmental and health consequences. He noted that once medicine leaves a pharmacy — even if unopened and unused — it must be disposed of, making it important that patients only receive what they will actually use.
The NPA, which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies across the UK, is calling for more frequent reviews of patients with multiple repeat prescriptions so that no-longer-needed medicines can be identified, and is urging the public not to over-order medication when requesting repeat prescriptions. Picard added that patients on several medicines should have them reviewed more regularly, and that anyone with concerns should consult their pharmacist.
Safety and resistance concerns
Dr Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, said surplus medicines are not just a financial and environmental issue but also a patient safety and antimicrobial resistance problem, since leftover antibiotics kept at home are often taken later without medical advice.
An NHS England spokesperson said the service has enabled better management of repeat prescriptions through its mobile app, and that several local NHS campaigns are working to cut medicines waste, alongside a decade-long decline in prescriptions of dependency-forming medications. In June, health leaders had warned of some of the most severe NHS medicine shortages on record, including common painkillers, epilepsy drugs and HRT treatments.
