Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications (AAMs) are widely used in Mexico and the rest of the world. Their excessive acquisition can lead to waste, representing an unnecessary expense for families and the public health system. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic cost of the waste of unused AAMs collected by the National System for the Collection of Residues of Containers and Medications (SINGREM, the acronym in Spanish) in Mexico City during 2019. Data from SINGREM on discarded AAMs in Mexico City were classified by the type and quantity of drug, pharmaceutical dosage form, origin, dose, and the complete or incomplete condition of the package. The unitary cost for each medication was based on public tenders of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) for the public sector and the prices in large drug store franchises for the private sector. A decision-making model was constructed to appraise the total cost of discarded AAMs. The economic cost of the 48924 units of discarded AAMs in SINGREM containers in Mexico City during 2019 was approx. USD$143500, of which over USD$127000 corresponded to the private health sector. The current findings evidence an enormous accumulation of unneeded or expired AAMs in Mexico City. According to the present data, the cost of such waste is substantial. The estimated cost was 8-fold higher for discarded medications originating from the private versus the public healthcare sector. It is important to implement measures to prevent this waste and increase awareness of the consequences of inadequate drug disposal.
Keywords: Mexico City; analgesics; anti-inflammatory drug; economic cost; wasted medication.