Drug Take-Back Program Fee-Setting and Expenditures

July 2025

Andrew Hatt, team lead
Ryan McCord, audit director | Eric Thomas, legislative auditor

Why we are doing this study

The 2025 Legislature directed the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) to complete an expedited report on Washington’s drug take-back program fees and expenditures. The Department of Health (DOH) refers to the program as the Safe Medication Return program.

JLARC must assess whether:

• DOH’s fee-setting authority covers its administrative, oversight, and enforcement costs.
• Expenditures incurred by DOH and program operators are transparent and appropriate given the intent of the program.

Read the study mandate: E2SHB 1422, Section 4

Background

The Legislature created the drug take-back program in 2018. It provides a safe statewide system for collecting and disposing of unused medicines. The Legislature intended for the program to prevent prescription drug abuse, poisonings, and overdoses.

Drug manufacturers pay third-party companies called program operators to implement the program. DOH provides oversight. Statute requires DOH to provide oversight through the following activities:

• Enforcing requirements of the program.
• Setting and collecting fees from program operators to cover its costs.
• Reporting to the Legislature about outcomes every two years.

Study scope

The expedited report will not be a full performance audit of the program. The report will focus on fee-setting, revenues, and expenditures. JLARC staff will publish the report in December 2025.

JLARC is required to consider potential racial equity analysis per RCW 44.28.076. The study mandate directs JLARC to evaluate expenditures and fee-setting. JLARC staff have determined there are no racial equity questions related to the scope of this report.

Sunset review to be completed in 2027

The drug take-back program is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2029, unless the Legislature reauthorizes it. JLARC staff will complete a sunset review of the program in 2027.

The Sunset Act requires JLARC staff to assess the extent to which the drug take-back program has complied with legislative intent and whether it has met its performance targets. The review must recommend whether the program should be extended or allowed to lapse.

Study questions

JLARC staff aim to answer the following questions through this report. They reflect our preliminary outreach and research.

1. Do DOH’s program expenditures align with the statutory requirements and intent of the drug take-back program?
2. How do program operators determine and report their expenditures?
3. How do the fees DOH collects from program operators compare to its costs to oversee the program?
   1. How does the fee model compare to similar programs?
4. To what extent does DOH follow best practices to ensure transparency in fee-setting, program operator performance, and financial reporting?

What's next

• Report: December 2025 (to be presented January 2026)

Learn more about our study process.

Study team

Andrew Hatt, team lead, (360) 786-5187
Amanda Eadrick, research analyst, (360) 786-5174