Can you donate medications

Unused prescription drugs are a risk for children, people with substance use disorders and animals. The CDC estimates 50, young children are sent to the emergency room every year because they get into medicine while adults are not watching.

Unnecessary prescription drugs in the home can increase the risk for substance use disorder, too. In a study on drug misuse, researchers found nearly one-third of adolescents misusing prescriptions took leftover drugs from their medicine cabinet.

Specialty drugs, which treat complex, chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis and cancer, are becoming especially pricey. Those massive costs may not show up at the pharmacy register for patients with insurance, but the experts behind the AARP report say those Americans will likely pay for them via cost-sharing and higher premiums. Not everyone has access to insurance that helps mitigate costs, though. He points out that recent spikes in unemployment will exacerbate these problems.

As prescribers, nurse practitioners can help mitigate prescription waste at the source. One way is by prescribing short initial fills for patients to help avoid drug abandonment, which is when patients fail to pick up a filled prescription at the pharmacy.

First fills are three times as likely to be abandoned as refills. Many patients also never complete their first fill, deciding to switch to a new prescription because of side effects or undesirable results. Erika Kimball, RN, a health care sustainability consultant, said prescribers are also key figures in patient education on proper medication disposal methods.

These nonprofits receive and manage tons of donations, inspecting and processing each one. Then, they match donations with requests from eligible individual patients or health care facilities. Eligible donors vary by state, but common donors cited by both organizations include pharmacies, drug manufacturers, long-term care facilities and individuals. And the type of donation varies more than the source.

Net's Facebook and Twitter. The Cancer. Net Podcasts Tags About Us. Request Permissions. April 24, This post is updated ahead of each take-back day. It was last updated October 14, Option 1: Let the experts handle it. Option 2: Dispose of them yourself. To do so, the FDA recommends following these important steps: Take all of the medication out of its container. Put the medication in a sealable container, such as a plastic bag or coffee can.

Seal the container and be sure to put it in the trash, not the recycling. Option 3: Donate them. However, here are some general donation guidelines: In many states, only a health facility or pharmacy is allowed to donate drugs. Expired drugs and controlled substances are never accepted. In general, you cannot receive payment for donated drugs. Revised March 3, Twenty-seven states and Washington D. Thirteen states plus Guam have laws enacted but no operational program.

Operational programs are those with participating pharmacies, charitable clinics or hospitals approved by the state to collect and redistribute donated drugs. Twelve states—California, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin—have more permissive programs related to cancer medications in addition to a general drug repository program.

Common obstacles to program success include: 1 requirements for participation may be overly burdensome, and may include limitations on types of entities that are eligible to donate and receive medications, 2 the potential increased administrative burden for participating agencies, 3 lack of financial resources and 4 a lack of public awareness of or participation in the program. This table only examines drug reuse and repository laws—any drug take-back and disposal-only programs are not included in this report.

FL Admin. Code R. Kansas Board of Pharmacy Laws and Regulations. OAC Code Ann. AL Admin Code NJ Stat. SD Other Information. Georgia passed the first known state law permitting reuse within a long-term care facility. In Louisiana began a pilot program without statutory authority. Oklahoma and Montana authorized long-term-care based programs. Massachusetts and Louisiana enacted similar laws; Michigan permitted the Department of Corrections to redistribute drug products.

New Mexico created a reuse program within the Corrections Department; Virginia expanded its program to allow both hospitals and clinics to dispense donated drugs. Pennsylvania Senate approved legislation allowing jails to redistribute their unopened prescription medicines. It's a cost-cutting measure that's began at the Armstrong County Jail. Both Alabama and Indiana passed bills related to unused drugs and each state's Department of Corrections.

New Hampshire passed legislation to allow manufacturer's samples to be donated as an 'unused prescription drug' to the preexisting NH program. New Mexico passed legislation allowing for a prescription drug donation program by enacting a new section of the New Mexico Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. This new section provided standards and procedures for accepting, storing, labeling and redistributing donated prescription drugs by clinics.

California passed and signed SB , which significantly expanded the prescription drug donation and distribution law enacted in Texas passed legislation that created a drug donation pilot program.

Nebraska made amendments to the existing drug donation program relating to dispensing and labeling. Colorado made amendments to their program relating to expiration dates and licensed facilities. Washington and Idaho passed legislation that amended participation and donations in the prescription drug donation program.

Georgia passed a bill that amended its program, which added over-the-counter drugs for acceptable donations. Minnesota and Utah passed bills establishing new programs. State Laws and Programs. This table only examines drug reuse and repository laws; all take-back and disposal-only programs are not included in this report.

There are currently 21 operational programs. It does not mean that a repository may be open or available in a given geographic area, nor that a potential recipient will be able to receive a prescription drug, or that a requested drug is authorized or available for reuse.

Disclaimer : NCSL provides material about state laws as general information, primarily for policymakers. Archive records: This table does not include all introduced but not enacted bills.

Program eligible patients : Only state residents who meet eligibility standards set by Board. Restrictions : Expiration must be more than 6 months from donation date. Recipient must sign waiver form about the program. Accepted by : County-owned pharmacy, pharmacy that contracts with the county and certain primary care clinics. Who can donate : Skilled Nursing Facility SNF , a SNF designated as an institution for mental disease IMD , general acute care hospital, psychiatric hospital, intermediate care facility, correctional treatment center, chemical dependency recovery hospital, psychiatric health facility, residential care facility for the elderly, mental health rehabilitation center, some pharmacies, wholesalers and manufacturers.

Rx: Drugs that are received and maintained in their unopened, tamper-evident packaging. Restrictions: Must be ensured that drugs received have not been in the possession of any individual member of the public. In September , California passed and signed SB , which significantly expanded the prescription drug donation and distribution law enacted by SB in It adds primary care clinics and pharmacies to those who can participate in the program.

Accepted by: A nonprofit entity that has the legal authority to possess the materials or to a practitioner authorized by law to dispense. Who can donate : A patient, patient's next of kin, hospital, community mental health center, hospice, nursing care facility, assisted living residence, correctional facility, pharmacy and other licensed facilities. Rx: Unused medications or medical supplies, and used or unused medical devices. Restrictions: Medications that require refrigeration, freezing or special storage are not allowed.

Accepted by : A physician's office, pharmacy, hospital, hospice, or health care clinic that participates in the program. Who can donate: A person, health care facility, hospital, pharmacy, drug manufacturer, medical device manufacturer or supplier, wholesaler of drugs or supplies, or any other entity may donate. Program eligible patients: Residents, except those Medicaid-eligible or under any other prescription drug program funded in whole or in part by the state are ineligible to participate.

Rx: Unused cancer drugs or supplies in its original, unopened, sealed and tamper-evident unit dose packaging. Restrictions: All drugs submitted to the program will be administered by a pharmacist to determine the drugs and supplies are not adulterated or misbranded. Additionally, a cancer drug may not be accepted or dispensed under the program if such drug bears an expiration date that is less than six months after the date the drug was donated.

Legislative History : SB22A HB took effect July 1, The state has a webpage that provides further information about their Cancer Drug Donation Program. Program Status: Enacted law; Operational.

Accepted by: Any pharmacy, hospital, federally qualified health center, or nonprofit clinic that participates in the drug repository program and meets criteria for participation in the program. Who can donate: Any person, including a drug manufacturer, wholesaler, reverse distributor pharmacy, third-party logistics provider, government entity, hospital, or health care facility.

Program eligible patients: Medically indigent person, uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in a public assistance health benefits program. Rx : Over-the-counter and unused prescription drugs. Restrictions: Only drugs in their original sealed and tamper-evident unit dose packaging may be accepted and dispensed. For prescription drugs must not expire before the completion of the medication by the eligible patient based on the prescribing health care professional's directions.

For over-the-counter drugs, they must not expire before use by the eligible patient based on the directions for use on the manufacturer's label. Controlled substances are not accepted.

Legislative History: The state-wide program required by this Code section was to be implemented no later than January 1, ; HB Accepted by: Medical facilities or pharmacies that elect to participate in the program and meet the requirements established by the department. Who can donate: Any person or organization may donate prescription drugs and supplies. Program eligible patients: Drugs may be donated to individuals or may be distributed to another eligible medical facility or pharmacy for use.

Rx: Prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and supplies. Restrictions: Must be inspected to assure the prescription drug or supplies have not been adulterated or misbranded. The drug must be in its original sealed and tamper-evident packaging. Legislative History: HF was approved and signed by the governor on May 3, Program is currently Operational serving over 71, patients as of The Department of Public Health has a webpage explaining the inception of the program and further information.

Board of Pharmacy. Accepted by: A qualifying center or clinic in consultation with a pharmacist. Who can donate: Residents of adult care homes and donating entities that volunteer to participate in the program.

Rx: Unused medications; excludes controlled substances. Restrictions: The medications must come from a controlled storage unit of a donating entity and be in its original packaging or tamper-evident packaging.

Legislative History: Signed into law by governor on March 20, The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has a webpage that provides further information about the program. Who can donate: Any person, including a drug manufacturer, hospital, health care facility, or governmental entity. Program eligible patients: Appropriately screened and qualified patients free of charge. Rx: Prescription drugs. Restrictions: Drugs must be in their original sealed and tamper-evident packaging.

In addition, donor shall execute a form stating the donation of the drugs. The pharmacy should retain that form along with other acquisition records. Legislative History : A pilot program began in without statutory authority. HB was signed into law as Act of Program effective August 15, Rx: Prescription drugs or medical supplies.

Restrictions : The drugs must be in their original unopened and sealed packaging; or packaged in tamper-evident unit dose packaging and unadulterated.

The donor must sign a statement that indicates the donor is the owner of the drugs and are voluntarily offering them to the program. A repository may not establish a waiting list for any prescription drug or medical supply dispensed by the program. SB was effective July 1, Program expanded to include drug disposal locations and broaden citizen knowledge in The Maryland Board of Pharmacy has a public webpage providing further information about the program.

Accepted by: A pharmacy, health professional, or charitable clinic that participates in the program. Who can donate : Residents, guardians of residents, manufacturers, pharmacies, and clinics. Program eligible patients: Residents eligible to receive Medicaid or Medicare, or has no health insurance, and otherwise lacks reasonable means to purchase prescription drugs. Rx: Unused prescription drugs and cancer drugs. Restrictions: Expired prescription drugs and controlled substances are not accepted.

HB required the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to establish and maintain the Utilization of Unused Prescription Drugs Program, which was created to dispense unused or donated prescription drugs, effective March 28, The state has a public webpage that provides further information about their repository programs.

Who can donate: Long-term care facilities. Program eligible patients: Qualified patients for transfer free of charge or at a reduced charge to those individuals. Rx : Unused prescription drugs, devices, and cancer drugs. Restrictions: Drugs defined as a dangerous drug or a drug designated as a precursor to a controlled substance cannot be accepted.

In , the state also created a cancer drug repository program with HB Accepted by: Any physician's office, pharmacy, hospital, or health clinic that elects to participate in the program and meets criteria established by the department for such participation. Who can donate: Any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a cancer drug manufacturer or health care facility. Rx : Cancer drugs and immunosuppressant drugs. Restrictions: The drug needs to be in its original, unopened, sealed, and tamper-evident unit dose packaging, except that a cancer drug packaged in single unit doses may be accepted and dispensed if the outside packaging is opened but the single-unit-dose packaging is unopened.

LB 37 made amendments to the existing drug donation program relating to dispensing and labeling. Accepted by: Pharmacy, hospital, nursing home, outpatient clinic, veterans home, and correctional facility.

Rx: Unused prescription drugs, including manufacturer's samples that have not reached their expiration date, are contained in unopened unit dose or other tamper-evident packaging, and show no evidence of contamination. Medical devices that have not been opened.

Restrictions : Minimum 3 months from expiration date. All individuals in the program shall be informed that these products have been redispensed. Legislative History : Current program effective as of July In , legislation established a Commission to review and to study enhancing the program of donating, accepting, and redispensing unused drugs.

Accepted by: Practitioners or pharmacies that meets the criteria established for participation in the program. Rx : Legend drugs, devices, or supplies. Restrictions: A drug donated, prescribed, or dispensed under the program must be in the original, unopened, sealed, and tamper-evident unit dose packaging, except a drug packaged in single-unit doses may be accepted and dispensed if the outside packaging has been opened and the single-unit-dose package is unopened.

Accepted by: Any pharmacy, hospital, or nonprofit clinic that participates in the program and meets certain eligibility requirements established in rules adopted by the Board. Who can donate: Any person, including a drug manufacturer or health care facility. Program eligible patients : Individuals that meet the economic eligibility standards. Rx: Prescription drugs, including orally administered cancer drugs not in original sealed and tamper-evident packaging.

Restrictions: Drugs must be in their original sealed and tamper-evident unit dose packaging.