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Hep C Discussion Forum -> Post Treatment -> Donate unused meds?
Post Info TOPIC: Donate unused meds?
iggle


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RE: Donate unused meds?
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Judy - You would think they would check these things out thouroughly since the meds are so expensive. I guess they don't mind flushing money down the drain.



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Judy S


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Same happened to me with Riba.....pharmacy filled at original dosage long after my dr reduced.  I have a ton of Riba left.  One unopened bottle of 180 pills plus another that is about 1/4 full.  On top of that, I realized that I left some Neupogen and Procrit in my fridge and I have a ton of syringes....they gave me far more than I ever needed.  I have 2 or 3 unopened bags plus leftovers in an open one.  I turned in all the refrigerated PegIntron and Victrelis to the Sheriffs like Kaiser told me to do.

I would also be more than happy to donate the Riba, Neupogen and Procit (the last 2 have ALWAYS been refrigerated; still are) but I don't know how to, in a way that is not illegal.  Don't want to be accused of drug trafficking or anything, lol.  It just really bugs me that there are people who can't always afford these meds due to ins problems, and also the third-world countries.  I also hate waste.  But my dr and pharmacy both told me there is NO way, just the Sheriffs drop-off thing.



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Geno 1a; VL 4.7 million in Feb 2012. Started PegIntron & Ribavirin 3-9-12. Added Victrelis 4-6-12. UND since Week 8. Stopped tx Wk 23. UND 4 Wks post-tx. Relapsed 12-weeks-post.

52 y/o F, started Epclusa 11-10-19, F0/F1.  EOT 2-1-2020. UND. All liver function tests normal.
iggle


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I already know I will have a good amount of unused Riba, because the Pharmacy continued to send me my original dosage amount, when they were supposed to adjust the amount when my doctor reduced my dosage. I know other countries have a really hard time getting medication, and I would be willing to donate whatever I have left at the end of treatment to an organization or someone in need.

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goggsmackay


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I think it is ridiculous to waste meds. No-one is talking about someone taking meds without going to a doctor etc but really if someone is prescribed say ribavirin, but is having difficulty paying for them, I cannot see what harm taking ones still in date in their packaging would do. It's precisely the same drug without the cost?

Some of us are lucky enough to live in a country with free medical treatment and through no fault of anyone some of us have unused meds. If someone is already on those meds and is continuing to be prescribed them I actually see it as morally wrong not to use them for those struggling to pay. The doc or pharmacy is not going to recycle meds - they will just be destroyed. I hate seeing waste, especially when there are so many people in the world who don't have much. Throwing away expensive medicine is beyond stupid.

Let me be clear however that the forum rules do not permit advertising meds or passing them on etc so I am not engaging in anything like that. It seems ridiculous to throw away something that can do good. This would never happen in a poor country but we in the west think waste is normal. It is not.

I wonder if treatment centres in developing nations might accept donations of unused meds?

Gordon



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Judy S


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I've also got Kaiser and I took ALL of my unused meds in to my last dr appt.  Well refrigerated and packed with blue ice.  He said he can't take them, even if the boxes were never opened; they don't keep any meds there.  So I took them to the Kaiser pharmacy and they said same thing; can't take them back for safety reasons.  They told me to go to the Sheriff station and find the drop-off box for meds and deposit there.



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Geno 1a; VL 4.7 million in Feb 2012. Started PegIntron & Ribavirin 3-9-12. Added Victrelis 4-6-12. UND since Week 8. Stopped tx Wk 23. UND 4 Wks post-tx. Relapsed 12-weeks-post.

52 y/o F, started Epclusa 11-10-19, F0/F1.  EOT 2-1-2020. UND. All liver function tests normal.
hrsetrdr


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LadyAlaise wrote:

My docs office told me to just bring my unused incivik to the office; they keep a stash in case of emergencies for patients etc....

 That would have been ideal,but apparently the Gasto dept at Kaiser Permanente-Fontana is not equiped to accept 'donations', especially from a legal perspective.



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"hrsetrdr"=Tim

Treatment halted on Aug.8,2012 due to vision problem.  6 month post tx labs

Aug.2013 SVR

Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.
- Unknown

 

 
JIme


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What Renee said.



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jim

GT1a, St2 Lv2 last biopsy 2002, VL  11.4m,  start triple tx 9/30/11

VL 470 @4wks.....VL 22,000 @8wks  stopped tx

Round 2-  Started 3/16/12   PSI-7977, BMS-790052, Riba Undetectable day 14

Did 24 weeks Still UND 12 weeks post tx, SVR24!!!!!!! 2/14/13

 

 

 

 

 
LadyAlaise


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My docs office told me to just bring my unused incivik to the office; they keep a stash in case of emergencies for patients etc....

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Genotype 1A, Genotype (from parents) CC, Viral Load=7,514,000 (as of 12/6/11) Started Triple Therapy TX: 12/17/2011.UND @ 4-48 Wks Taken Off Incivek @ 6 wks due to Rash Response. Finished TX 11/17/12. SVR year 1
hrsetrdr


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I contacted my NP...she said:

The pharm cannot take back medications
You can dispose of your meds by removing label then adding water to allow meds to dissolve, wrap with duct tape and dispose of in garbage
Hope that helps

 

O.K. here we go...disposing of thousands of dollars worth of drugs <sigh>    I emptied the Pegasys syringes into the dirt in the yard; my wife can take the sharps to work for disposal.

 



-- Edited by hrsetrdr on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:55:57 AM



-- Edited by hrsetrdr on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:56:34 AM

Attachments
__________________

"hrsetrdr"=Tim

Treatment halted on Aug.8,2012 due to vision problem.  6 month post tx labs

Aug.2013 SVR

Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.
- Unknown

 

 
LanaiSurferGirl


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Margo...i sympathize with you in that if any of the medication was altered in any way, expired, or left out of the fridge to go bad the person that ends up taking the meds could be in serious trouble.  It does not surprise me that some docs won't take the meds because of the liability issue.  It is not my butt on the line though so I will ask my doc if he wants them. :)

aloha,

Meghan



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geno 1a, mother & brother also hep c +...mom got a blood transfusion and passed it along.  Started tx with incivik 11/23/11 and brother started 2/8/2012.  Both of us und. at 4,8,12 and me at 24.  I am going 36 wks and brother is going 48 weeks.
chatterbox


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My doc said they ask for all unused meds after treatment. Same with Alan I was able to begin that night when they dropped my Rib does. And today they has a shot of Neopogen that they had. Too bad there isn't someone for all the uninsured need-to-be treated. I think I'll call Alf. May e there's someway...

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Debra

 

Geno type 1a1b

Began Peg/Rib 4/16/2012  

Began Victrelis May 14, 2012            4 week and 8 week labs undectable

12 weeks und. 16 weeks und. Week 17 Cut peg, added Neopogen 5+months und.!
hrsetrdr


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Well, I will shoot an email to my NP, but I think that the best that can be hoped for is that Kaiser 'might' consent to disposal of the meds, in a proper way.    My wife works in the med clinic @work, says you can't even ship through U.S. Mail.   

I think that it's safe to say the the U.S. government is:

1. not concerned about  out-of-pocket medical expenses for middle class citizens

2. Actually protective of U.S.pharmaceutical corperate profits

 

No biggie, $80 wasted is a drop in the bucket, in the larger scheme of Life.        

 

gen068.gif



__________________

"hrsetrdr"=Tim

Treatment halted on Aug.8,2012 due to vision problem.  6 month post tx labs

Aug.2013 SVR

Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.
- Unknown

 

 
Margo


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Kinda sucks to throw them away, but I would be hesitant to use anything especially the medications that did not come directly from my pharmacy, sealed. But I would call incivek and ask them what to do with them, $100 per pill, ouch...

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Geno 1b, relapsed in 2009 a week before my treatment was to be over. Started triple therapy on April 28th, 2012. UND at week 4,8,12,24,3 months post tx.
Phil G


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My doctor couldn't or wouldn't take my pills. Might just be them.



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Geno 1A, VL 1.9 mm, SOT 12/2/11 - Pegintron/Ribavirin/Victrelis, UND since wk 8, EOT 6/15/12 (28 wks), SVR 11/30/12
news


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Tim, ask your doctor if they can use them. Some doctors keep a stash in the office for times when a patient needs to do something right away. My doc keeps several boxes of different strength ribapack in a cabinet, and they asked me to donate one vial of Procrit when I no longer needed it. I have not seen any Incivek or Victrelis, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had some. At $17,000 a month, I bet the Incivek is scarce. Alan

__________________

Geno 1A  Started Pegasys/Ribavirin/Incivek Nov. 20, 2011 .  Completed July 28, 2012 (36 weeks). For a treatment history, see:  https://jshare.johnshopkins.edu/xythoswfs/webview/_xy-9921874_1

SVR on January 14, 2013!!
LanaiSurferGirl


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I also have some unused meds, 3 doses of procrit still in the fridge because I don't know what to do with it.  I know it is illegal for the pharmacy to take it back or sell them...don't know about donating it...same may go for that.  At least there needs to be a safe way to dispose of it.  Maybe take them with me to the next doctor's appt?

aloha,

Meghan



__________________

geno 1a, mother & brother also hep c +...mom got a blood transfusion and passed it along.  Started tx with incivik 11/23/11 and brother started 2/8/2012.  Both of us und. at 4,8,12 and me at 24.  I am going 36 wks and brother is going 48 weeks.
hrsetrdr


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On  Monday Aug. 6 I received my 30 day supply of Pegasys,Riba and Victrelis; two days later my treatment was halted.   rainby.gif

 

The pharmacy clerk told me that it's against Federal law for them to take back meds, once they have left the pharmacy.

 

I'd be happy to donate these meds, in perfect condition, packages factory sealed, always stored in refrigeration.

 

What can I do?



__________________

"hrsetrdr"=Tim

Treatment halted on Aug.8,2012 due to vision problem.  6 month post tx labs

Aug.2013 SVR

Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.
- Unknown

 

 
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