Wasted medicines cost the NHS at least £480million a year and could fill 75 Olympic-size swimming pools, an investigation reveals. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) estimates that 3,400 tonnes worth of partially used medicines were disposed of in England in 2024/25. Wasted medicines cost the NHS at least £480million a year and could fill 75 Olympic-size swimming poolsPharmacies say patients often return half completed courses of antibiotics and may not be completing treatments prescribed to them, potentially risking their health. ‘Wasted medicines cost the NHS significant sums of money every year that could be invested in better services for patients,’ said Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association. An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The NHS has taken action to ensure people can better manage their prescriptions on their mobile phones through the NHS app including repeat prescriptions.