Recycling Unused Medications
By MEGAN MOORE
Star-Tribune staff writer
What can a person do with the bottles and bottles of expensive medications once the sick, either by death or through cure, have no more use for them?
Try recycling them. It could save another person's life.
The City of Casper-Natrona County Health Department recently put in an application with the Wyoming Department of Health for the Medication Donation Program. Legislated in 2005, it involves the donation of unused prescription medications and supplies to the various clinics in the state involved, who in turn give them to individuals who either can't afford their medications, don't have health insurance, or who can't afford their copay.
The program should be installed and running in Natrona County by April 16 and will mean that Casper residents no longer have to bear the cost of shipping for their donated medications.
"I'm really excited about the people's response to the program," said Donna Artery, Pharmacist Consultant for the Wyoming Department of Health. "I had someone call from Casper whose father was a cancer patient and she had tons of his unused medication and was willing to pay the cost to ship it to us."
Artery said that while there is no money actually legislated for the cost of mailing, there are many who are willing to pay the cost of shipping to see that the medications get used.
"We're mainly concerned about the high cost medications going to waste. We're very excited about Casper being involved," said Artery who is working with the Natrona County Health Department to get the program started.
Mary Janssen, Director of the Community Nursing Division with the Natrona County Health Department, said the program is voluntary.
"We'll be getting the information out to physicians in the community," Janssen said. Then doctors will be able to send patients who express a need to the health department, where a nurse practitioner will be able to issue the donated medications.
At first, said Janssen, "patients will be limited to whatever we have in stock," noting later that it may take a few months to really build a stockpile of medications.
"Our goal is to try to get it back out," she said, "otherwise it's just such a waste."
Up to a $10 handling fee will be charged for medications dispensed at the Natrona County Health Department.
Janssen and Artery are hopeful for the program's future, and Artery soon hopes to see the program adopted by cities in all four corners of the state.
"Eventually we're hoping to start a statewide Web site where a doctor from anywhere can look on the site to see where the medication is available," Artery said.
Megan Moore can be reached at (307) 266-0532 or megan.moore@casperstartribune.net.
What can be donated
* Prescription medication in its original, unopened and sealed packaging. Or, medication in sealed, singled-dose packaging. Patient names will be removed to protect confidentiality.
* All medications must be donated within expiration dates.
* Over-the-counter medications will be accepted at the discretion of the donation site, depending on available space.
What cannot be donated
* Controlled substances such as painkillers and medications with high abuse potential
* Injectables
* Medications that require refrigeration
* Loose pills
How to dispose of medication that cannot be donated
* Keep the medication in its original container, since labels may contain safety information and caps are typically childproof. Scratch out or cover patient's name with permanent marker.
* Modify the contents to discourage consumption. Add a small amount of water to pills or capsules to at least partially dissolve them; add salt, flour, charcoal, or a nontoxic powdered spice such as turmeric or mustard to liquid medications to discourage ingestion; and wrap blister packs containing pills in multiple layers of duct tape.
* Seal and conceal. Tape container lids shut and place in a nontransparent bag or container to ensure the contents cannot be seen.
* Discard the container in your garbage can. Do not place in the recycling bin or conceal medicines in food -- they could be inadvertently consumed by wildlife scavengers.
* Do not flush medications.
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