HCA Florida Blake Hospital, HCA Florida Braden River Emergency and HCA Florida Venice Doctors Emergency hosted their annual “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day on Saturday. The event raises awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications. More than 160 pounds of medication was turned in. The events offered the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications that may be left over from previous procedures or other medical visits. National drug overdose deaths decreased by nearly 27% in 2024, however, prescription drug misuse remains a public health crisis in the United States. Research shows a significant number of drug addictions and overdose deaths come from individuals accessing unused medications from family and friends. Since 2019, HCA Healthcare has helped safely dispose of more than 88,000 pounds of unused or expired medication. The journey continues this year as the Company continues the road to 100,000 pounds of collected medication.

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