Gripe Vine Readers:
Recently I was asked an interesting question, what happens to unused prescriptions? Do they just throw them away? What about the people that can’t afford medicine? Are some of these medications available to those in need?
My curiosity was aroused, so I decided to perform a little investigating. In my opinion, after paying thousands of dollars over the years and having to throw some of them out, I wondered if there wasn’t an organization or someone who can benefit from these unused prescriptions? You must admit, this is truly a gripe, especially when you open your wallet or checkbook and have to pay hard earned cash to the pharmacist.
I learned that every single year in the United States $5 billion dollars of unused medications are discarded. If these medicines haven’t expired and can still be used by needy people, why not have our state follow as well? There are at least of this writing, 38 states that have, through law enactments, utilize prescriptions that have been checked by health officials for expiration and quality and then distributed to folks who could not afford these medications.
Here’s another wake up discovery: in our state there are $50 million of unused, discarded medicines from nursing homes, correctional facilities and various institutions.
Now, according to a news story published in a local paper recently, a 20-year-old law dictates that unused drugs go back to the vendor pharmacy and the state gets reimbursed and the procedure is saving Connecticut over a million dollars a year.
So, how does my research gripe project end? On an interesting note for sure. The National Conference of State Legislatures checked drug recycling efforts in all 50 states and discovered that Connecticut passed laws on drug recycling but indicated its program as defunct.
Dear Eleanore Turkington:
I have been a follower of Gripe Vine for many years. Sometimes I am elated when gripes are solved, but sometimes I just chuckle, like I just did. To quote one of your readers who asked, “When is the clock on the Green going to be fixed?”
JD Timeless
Dear JD Timeless:
I’ll keep asking this question until I get an answer!
Gripe Vine Readers:
The trash story in The Voice last week, was thorough and informative. May I suggest you clip it out and keep for future reference. The details are explicit and helpful.
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