General Chat

When my mom was having treatment for Cancer over last few years, she was given several drugs. these were changed nearly everytime we went to hospital, doctors, some are just painkillers and antibiotics
.
I also have had one or two different changes with drugs given to me.
To the point.....
I have un-opened and unused drugs, when I enquired at Chemist about what to do with them.... they said I could return them, and they would DESTROY them............................
I asked if they could be donated to a poor country, or similar.... and they said that does not happen, they have to be destroyed!!!!
any thoughts??
cmd

It's so wasteful .....I think it is awful.
I took loads of medicines back to chemist when my Mum passed away.
They should send the stuff to the third world.
Amanda

disgraceful to destroy them when there are countries that really need them

Amanda,
I thought they did.....but the chemist said NO its all destroyed............. something needs doing about this......
there must be millions of unused but useful drugs lying around
Wheres letter writing Ann?.......... she'll sort this out

Our drugs may not be legal in other countires,,
,,also they have a shelf life,
,,plus it would cost to send them,
,,and these drugs may not be used.. so would get outdated,,,

Plus as one drug for one patient as here shouldnt be given to another person,,,,,,,,,,,

.maybe these could be a few answers???

Oh Ann there you are....!!!!

Nowadays when people have been known to tamper with medicines and food no-one is willing to take a risk.

We had a bag full of sealed dressings which my husband didn't need when he had healed earlier than expected after an operation. I gave them to a cousin who is a district nurse. She isn't supposed to use them but she knew some people who'd find them useful.

Sue

Here I am!! I'll have to do a letter then won't I!! and I will

It does seem a shame to destroy these unopened medicines. I have stuff I didn't need, sat in the cupboard, to tight to throw away, but it will just go out of date then go down the loo

When drugs have been stored in a home environment, there is no guarantee that they have been stored correctly, or not tampered with in some way.. the risk cannot be taken.

And why should these third world countries have our cast off, unwanted, second hand and may be incorrectly stored stuff? They should have access to drugs they need first hand and in their own right.

Love

Daff xxx

Ann,
good lass you are

'Salt of the earth'

I feel like swearing I am so wound up now.........

While it is wasteful it is also to protect the recipients of such drugs. Even unopened they may have been tampered with.

Oh Daff, I agree with you, they should have access to first rate meds not just our unwanted ones.

For the love of all that is good, please do not put medications down the toilet. They must always be taken back to the chemist even when out of date.

I have bought several items of clothes that I have never worn...... and donated those to charity shops etc......someone bought them... and worn them
or they went off to third world.....
so cannot see how unopened drugs cannot go there too
we have too much they have nothing....

However I do take note of the tampering issue.....
and I wouldnt put down loo...
cmd

surely there is something we can do??

Clothing is worn, and not ingested... you don't have quite the same effect from wearing a second hand dress as ingesting second hand anti-biotics, anti-viral or anti-convulsant drugs.

Maybe there is something we can do, but I do not believe, as a professional, that handing over second hand, un monitored drugs is the answer.

Love

Daff xxx

I'e always thought concern that if we dump old meds down the drain we'll end up with psychotic fish in our lake!! LOL

More seriously, we have a system here, where unused drugs are taken to "warehouse of hope" and sent to Cuba and other poor countries where their supplies are very limited. Granted I also believe they SHOULD be entitled to first class treatment as we are, but if the hospitals in the Caribbean where these are sent (along with loads of other medical/hospital supplies) have minimal equipment and supplies, therefore can benefit from our overflow, why should we throw them in the waste? A doctor supervises shipment of all donated meds, any unpackaged ones are discarded and sent to a central place for disposal by burning.
I work in a home for the aged, and our older beds were replaced by electric ones a few months ago, all the old ones were sent to this place for shipment to hospitals in poor countries.They've also received crutches, stretchers, wheelchairs and walkers.
They send a big container 3 or 4 times a year. Twice a year they have a big yard sale for all the donated items which cannot be sent (not meds)
We've donated old towels, blankets, sheets, etc - the towels are cut into nappies, and volunteer ladies meet weekly to sew the edges and package them.
The system won't work everywhere but it certainly does here.
maxiMary

Sorry Daff,
I know I'm not an expert on medical matters...
and I respect that others have are.....
However

just trying to make the same point as colleen,
'' if someone can benifit from our overspill'
then surely it a good thing.....

just frustrated that this is so wasteful.....

Colleen, where do you live?
cmd

We are in the Niagara peninsula of Ontario,Canada. About 20 mins from Niagara Falls.

The article explains a bit:

http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=18830 and

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_EDM_PAR_99.4.pdf

Rose