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Is there any way to donate extra meds?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/23/2014 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
After Asacol was pulled by the manufacturer, I was taking Delzicol for a while. I did terribly on it and recently switched to Lialda, which I'm dong much better on. Shortly before I finally gave up on Delzicol, I had refilled a 3-month prescription through my on-line pharmacy. Now I have over 1000 Delzicol capsules I'm not going to use. This medication is extremely expensive and I know there are some people out there who struggle to pay for their prescriptions. I'd hate to just throw them all away (i.e safely dispose of them) when someone else could use them. They're perfectly fine and well before their expiration date, which is somewhere in 2015.

Does anyone know if there is any way I can safely donate my unused Delzicol to someone who can use it? First, I don't even know if it's legal. Second, I'd want to make sure I was giving it to someone who will use it not try to sell it (not that there's a big black market demand for Delzicol). And third, I don't know if I'd be opening myself up to any liability if someone took it and had a bad reaction to it.

Any advice? Has anyone out there ever tried to give away their extra meds before?
Posted 8/23/2014 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
It is against the law and you could be liable if something went wrong.
Posted 8/23/2014 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
i don't think there are any right or wrong answers - it's a sucky situation - throwing them away is just wrong - and i don't recall the forum rules exactly, but i know you can't sell em here -

liability ? geez, every time you walk out your door there's a chance that you could get sued by someone -

you've probably done what you can here -
Posted 8/23/2014 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
It's a just and honorable cause. Many people ARE struggling to pay for their medications and there isn't a perfect system in place just yet, though obamacare is a promising start.

I would just do it under the table, since stuff like this isn't permitted here. You can probably expect this topic to get locked.

Never heard of 5asas doing significant harm (especially with someone who has a history of taking them), so the probability that you'd be held liable is .001%.

Best.
Posted 8/23/2014 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
I was left with a truckload of regular Asacol when I swtiched to Lialda. I got rid of it.
Posted 8/23/2014 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
"It is against the law and you could be liable if something went wrong."


along with ripping the tag off your mattress - never, never, never do that !
Posted 8/23/2014 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
You can't donate meds. BUT if you have supplies (I had sooo much leftover stuff from having a PICC line and TPN) the humane society will take them.
Posted 8/23/2014 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
What I would first do is ask your Doctor/GI and even a pharmacist if they would take them for patients that can't afford the meds. I know my bottles of Lialda are straight from the manufacturer looking bottles not the kind where the pharmacist has to count out the tabs. I would think that would be safer to give to a patient in need. Just my opinion.
Posted 8/23/2014 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
I believe that CVS has a donate your unopened med program. If it's been opened then unfortunately disposing them is the only option - which is sad.
Posted 8/23/2014 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
I have 2 sealed doses of Humira (exp 4/15) in my fridge that I wish I could give someone. My Gi told me to throw them out and I just can't bring myself to do that when I know there must be someone out there who could use them. I guess I'll wind up holding them until they expire and then trash them. I also have an unopened, sealed bottle of Apriso. What a waste.
:-(
Posted 8/24/2014 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
I had several unused Humira pens. I called all over begging someone to let me donate them. They would not. I felt sooo bad throwing them away :(
Posted 8/24/2014 11:43 AM (GMT 0)
I know that this is off topic but carenz and pink1 I'm about to start remicade...I have already been on apriso and am currently on CimZia w no luck, I notice that both of y'all were given remicade but are now on entyvio, did remicade not work and that did or what...sorry jus really feelin like a guinea pig because they have tried so much and nothing works, I'm looking like I'm starving myself, and the disease is so demeaning to my mental state, jus would like to know that there is some kinda light at the end of the tunnle
Posted 8/24/2014 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Remicaid never worked for me. Then I tried Humira, then Symponi. Nothing worked. I just continued to get worse. In June, I got my permanent ileostomy and life is now great. I don't take ANY medications! The surgery was my light at the end of the tunnel and I'm so glad I went into the light! Lol
@DoctaFeelGewd, I'm hoping that you find some relief soon. Feel better!!
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