STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN TO SECURE MEDICINES IN THE HOME LAUNCHED TODAY

2/19/2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2019

Contact: Mary Vassoler

Media Coordinator

973.382.4560 (mobile)

mary@drugfreenj.org (e-mail)

 

STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN TO SECURE MEDICINES IN THE HOME LAUNCHED TODAY

New Jersey REALTORS®, HINJ, PhRMA and the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
join forces on a public-awareness campaign to thwart drug diversion.
 
(L-R) Timothy McMahon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Admin., Dean Paranicas of HINJ, Ilene Horowitz and Chris Schlueter of NJRealtors, Anthony Valente of Partnership For A Drug-Free NJ, Deborah Hartel of the NJ Dept. of Health, Alex Kelly of HINJ

Trenton, February 19, 2019 – Today the New Jersey Realtors, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey launched a campaign to educate Realtors and homeowners with an active listing, along with the general public, about the importance of securing medicines in their homes and properly disposing of unused drugs that are no longer needed.

The joint “Safe Home, Safe Sale” campaign was kicked off with a press conference at the Trenton headquarters of New Jersey Realtors.

"As Realtors, we are all very involved in our communities. While it was not something that we anticipated, we recognize the importance of this public awareness campaign,” said 2019 NJ Realtors Immediate Past President Christian Schlueter. “We encourage every Realtor in our state to take a few minutes to inform sellers and their friends about the importance of securing their prescription drugs.”

Alex Kelly, chair of the HINJ Board of Trustees and Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Allergan said: “New Jersey’s biopharmaceutical companies are pleased to stand with those on the front lines fighting drug abuse and addiction. When used properly, medicine can cure disease, control symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life. But in the wrong hands, medicine can have serious and long-term consequences.”

Dean J. Paranicas, HINJ President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “HINJ is pleased to join with the New Jersey Realtors, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and PhRMA on this innovative initiative to educate the public on the importance of securing medicine in the household. We look forward to building on this partnership and engaging with other community leaders to stem the diversion and misuse of prescription drugs.”

Angelo M. Valente, executive director, Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, said: “The opioid crisis is impacting every community in our state and it is imperative that we all take steps to safeguard our homes. Last year, New Jersey lost over 3,000 residents to the opioid epidemic and securing and safely disposing of the prescribed opioids in our homes can protect our families and save lives.”

Also speaking at the launch event was Special Agent Timothy P. McMahon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division.

The campaign – “Safe Home, Safe Sale” – includes an educational brochure for Realtors to share with their clients, social media promotion leading viewers to a website with resources for Realtors and homeowners, and a curriculum for Realtors that will be offered as part of their required continuing education.

For disposing of unused medicines that are no longer needed, the campaign will point realtors, home sellers and the public to the American Medicine Chest website. It provides the locations of drop-off sites in New Jersey where people can safely and anonymously dispose of unused and expired medications.

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About the Partners             

HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ)  serves as the voice for the  research-based biopharmaceutical and medical technology industry in New Jersey. HINJ seeks to expand patient access to the most innovative biopharmaceuticals and medical technologies and promote awareness of the industry’s impact on New Jersey’s quality of life and economic well-being. Follow us on Twitter (@HINJ_ORG) and Facebook (HealthCareInstituteofNewJersey) For data on the Life Sciences’ impact on New Jersey’s economy, visit New Jersey’s Life Sciences: By the Numbers.

New Jersey Realtors, the voice of real estate for New Jersey for more than 100 years, is a non-profit organization serving the professional needs of more than 55,000 Realtor and Realtor-Associate members engaged in all facets of the real estate business. In addition to serving the professional needs of its members, NJ Realtors is dedicated to enhancing the ability of its members to conduct their business successfully while maintaining the preservation of private property rights. Realtor is a registered collective membership mark, which may be used only by real estate professionals who subscribe to the Realtor organization's strict Code of Ethics and are members of the national, state and local Realtor organizations. For more information, visit njrealtor.com.

Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) was created in 1992 as a substance abuse prevention alliance to localize, strengthen and deepen initiatives, drug-free assistance and parent education conferences throughout the state. All PDFNJ programs are available free of charge to the residents of New Jersey. PDFNJ is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation best known for its statewide substance use prevention public service campaigns, which New Jersey residents can see on trains, buses, billboards, radio, television, in print and online.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $600 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $71.4 billion in 2017 alone.