[Pharmwaste] Pharmaceutical reuse - LA Times

[Stevan Gressitt]

There was a summary at the CESAR web site that I believe is still =
referenced
at www.mainesenate.org/expiredmeds that was up to date as of 2004 The
University of Maryland is who hosts the CESAR ( Center for Substance =
Abuse
Research.) Contact there is Erin Artigiani. Since then there have been
several other efforts at compilation and I recall one at one of the
legislative coordinating groups but can't remember which one. Stevan
Gressitt

-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Gilliam, =
Allen
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 8:46 AM
To: pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Pharmaceutical reuse - LA Times

Thanx for the update Cynthia,

Is there a compilation somewhere of states that have passed any form of
legislation regarding this issue?

And, has the grant been awarded for the formation of a national/central
repository or information dissemination group to get this type info =
"out"
for national consistency?  I haven't heard anything from PSI yet.

Allen gilliam
Adeq state pretreatment coordinator
501.682.0625

-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of
greene.cynthia@epamail.epa.gov
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 10:58 AM
To: pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Spam](sl):[Pharmwaste] Pharmaceutical reuse - LA Times


Los Angeles Times

                              May 23, 2005 Monday
                                  Home Edition

SECTION: HEALTH; Features Desk; Part F; Pg. 6

LENGTH: 396 words

HEADLINE: Taking matters into their own hands;
Consumer advocates and some doctors make arrangements to give donated
medication to needy patients.

BYLINE: Daniel Costello, Times Staff Writer

BODY:=A0=A0=A0To help people cope with rising prescription drug prices, =
some
individuals, groups, doctors and states are distributing unused =
prescription
drugs to patients who can't afford them.=A0=A0=A0In Baltimore, advocates =
Pearl
Lewis and Alexis Southworth have organized an increasingly well-known
donation system in which consumers drop off unused high-blood pressure
medications, pain drugs and even unused cancer and organ transplant
medications.=A0=A0=A0They store the drugs -- up to $15,000 worth on one =
recent
afternoon -- in Southworth's refrigerator. Within 30 days after someone
donates medication, they drop it off to a doctor who agrees to pass it
along, or sometimes they give the medication directly to patients who
contact them for help, says Southworth.=A0=A0=A0Pedro Rodriguez, =
director of the
Action Alliance of Senior Citizens in Philadelphia, is using a model =
more
akin to music file-sharing: He allows patients to post notes at a center =
on
who has extra medication or who needs some and then helps them link up =
on
their own.=A0=A0=A0Because so many people try new medications that don't =
work or
know of family members who have passed away or no longer need specific
medications, "a lot of people want to find something useful to do with =
it
other than flush it down the toilet," Rodriguez said.=A0=A0=A0Some =
doctors are
even collecting unused drugs from some patients and redirecting them to
those who can't afford them.=A0=A0=A0(Although doctors often have free =
samples for
patients, they're usually only for newer drugs that pharmaceutical =
companies
are promoting. Older drugs that many patients rely on are harder to come
by.)=A0=A0=A0It's unclear how legal these sharing arrangements are, =
especially
those that don't involve a doctor. And many doctors remain wary about
passing along unused drugs to another patient, especially if they're not =
in
their original packaging.=A0=A0=A0Still, those organizing such sharing =
systems say
they are only doing what several states have begun to do. Some states,
including Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio, have passed legislation in =
recent
years that allows unused drugs from nursing homes and pharmacies to be
distributed to poor patients through community clinics. Texas and =
California
are currently considering similar measures.=A0=A0=A0"If they come up =
with a better
way for us to help these people get the drugs they need, let me know," =
said
Southworth, of Baltimore. "Until then, this is working out OK."






Cynthia L. Greene
Senior Advisor
US EPA New England
1 Congress Street, Suite 1100 (SPP)
Boston, MA 02114-2023
Tel: 617-918-1813
Fax: 617-918-0813
greene.cynthia@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/region1/solidwaste/index.html

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