BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff

Subject: RE: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Nov 13 - 04:51 AM

In the US it's apparently not legal for a pharmacy to dispense "recycled" drugs, but we've found a few individual physicians willing to take them. The implied claim is that physicians are permitted to give "samples" provided by pharm companies to their patients so they can "give" these other pharmaceuticals to patients who "need a little help."

I'm not really sure of the legality of this, and suspect that in some cases they only accept them to prevent people from flushing them; and they may put most of them into their bio-hazard disposal systems. But at least you know you haven't caused birth defects in the wildlife (and/or the citizens down the road) as you would if you just dumped them. If that's your only recourse, you'll at least have the assurance that someone who knows how it's supposed to be done has taken them off your hands.

Most pharmacies here will take prescription meds, but you can assume that they can't pass them on. The police and fire departments run occasional "drug collection drives" to collect unused pharmaceuticals; but they make it clear that anything they collect will be destroyed; and the local news media almost never announce such periodic events until after it's all over with when they tell you what a wonderful success it was.

Unused/unopened insulin syringes and the alcohol preps that often come with them are things for which we've had occasion to seek help with getting them handled; and those should be fairly easy to pass on locally, if your locality is similar to ours.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Nov 13 - 06:03 PM

Mostly what I'm looking for is a donation site for prescription meds -- they can't be used in this country, but aid organizations or missionaries can use them overseas. And, of course, the unopened wound dressing material.

I've just listed the wheelchair, rollators and walker on one Freecycle list and will soon list it on another.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: mg
Date: 25 Nov 13 - 12:40 PM

I think the free shipping to philippines ends Nov 30 but I could be wrong. I posted a link but I think it is lbg shipping..offices in, any cities..even one close go me. Filipinos are doing lots of shipping themselves and asking for clothing and toiletries. Hey are taking 30 hour bus and boat trios to bring goods to relatives.

Subject: RE: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: maeve
Date: 24 Nov 13 - 07:23 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: maeve
Date: 23 Nov 13 - 09:00 AM

Linn- Crotched Mountain, quite near you, is our favorite place for such donations : http://rem.crotchedmountain.org/DONATION_p_17.html

Subject: BS: Donation Sites For Medical Stuff
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Nov 13 - 08:18 AM

Our local fire department which keeps a cache of wheelchairs, walkers, etc. has more of those items right now than they need, but I have a few other options to donate Tom's old wheelchair, two rollators, the walker, etc. and, if nothing else, Goodwill will take them.

The VNA can't accept the wound dressing material (never opened in original packaging) because of Medicare regulations, but I have one lead on that material.

And I know there are aid or missionary organizations that accept unused prescription meds for use overseas, but I haven't had time to research them.

Any suggestions?

I just really hate to see useful things go to waste.

Linn