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Sorting Medicine

The Mission

Save lives by donating unused medications to those in need and helping the environment by reducing waste

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Why Donate Medicines

01

About 11 billion$ of unused unopened prescriptions are wasted every year

02

70% of our waterways are contaminated with runoff from improperly disposed prescriptions

03

50 Million Americans skip or ration medications because they cannot afford it.

04

60,000 children are brought to the ER every year with accidental overdoses 

Our Story

My name is Adi. I'm a Junior in High School in Alabama.

 

I volunteer at free clinics in Huntsville and have witnessed first hand the struggles people face in affording medical care. The patient that started me on this journey is a teenager with Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 is a challenge in itself, but it was twice as complicated for him because he was an immigrant who did not speak English and had no insurance.

He was hospitalized several times with diabetic ketoacidosis; a life threatening complication of untreated diabetes. Not only was this detrimental to his health, it cost the hospital an average of 30,000$ for every stay. 

DONATEURMEDS was able to provide him with insulin and supplies to monitor his blood sugar. Since then he's back to work and has stayed out of the hospital! This is just one of many stories that have made profound and life altering impacts -- all made by using YOUR generously donated medications.

 This is not an isolated or unique patient story, but highlights the huge disparities we have in our communities and barriers that patients face in accessing the healthcare they deserve.

Our Impact

The Process

In Alabama, unused prescription drugs (excluding controlled substances) can be donated to charitable clinics. This donation must be initiated by the patient, or their authorized representative if the patient is deceased or incapacitated.

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DONATions

 Patients donate their unused, unexpired medications or supplies by dropping them off at the location nearest to them. No controlled substances are accepted.

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Collection

We pick up medications and supplies from repositories at  designated locations. 

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Inspection

Medications are inspected before accepting them from clinics or individuals to make sure they are in tamper proof containers, unopened, stored appropriately and not expired. 

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Transportation

All medications are then transported to the 2 Huntsville area Free Clinics that serve uninsured patients. The staff and pharmacists at these facilities check all donations again to ensure they are safe to use.

Drop-Off Locations

  • 1. What can be donated?
    Unused prescription drugs that are no longer needed. Controlled substances cannot be donated. Unexpired: The medication must be within its expiration date.Expiration dates must be visible, and drugs must not expire before use. Sealed/Unopened: The packaging must be tamper-evident and show no signs of being opened. Not Controlled Substances: Controlled substances, like opioids and certain anti-anxiety medications, are regulated and generally not accepted. Prescription and Over-the-Counter: Both prescription and over-the-counter medications are generally eligible if they meet the other criteria Refer : https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/pharmacy/assets/jackpagerules.pdf
  • 2. Who can donate?
    The patient themselves, or if the patient is deceased or incompetent, their spouse, an adult child, a brother or sister, either parent, a legally-appointed guardian, or the administrator of the estate.
  • 3. What to do before donating medications?
    Please Fill out the required forms: Some may require the donor to sign a form or waiver which includes general information, like your name, the date of the donation, your signature, details about the medication you are donating. Please Remove any personal information from the packaging Cover any personal information on the prescription label, like the patient’s name or the prescription number, using a permanent marker.Be careful not to cover any information about the medication itself. Pharmacists who review and sort these donations will need to see the drug name, expiration date and dosage.Adulterated or misbranded medications are not accepted or transferred. View form
  • 4. To whom can medications be provided ?
    Unused prescription drugs can be donated to charitable clinics. Charitable clinics can only provide donated drugs to charitable patients as defined by the Alabama Administrative Code.
  • 5. How are medicines dispensed ?
    This program collects medicine and transports to the Free clinic where a licensed pharmacist checks and verifies all medication. The pharmacist at the free clinic will then dispense medications only after they are authenticated.
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