How to donate medical supplies?

Nurses General Nursing

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I work in a small hospital and we are getting ready for JCHAO. This last week all over the hospital we have been pulling expired materials from our shelves and just dumping it into the trash. :flamesonb I wish I could find a way to donate this items to poor countries that would be greatful for them. There is nothing wrong with them all unopened. I do not even know how to start with collecting the items, or how much it will cost to ship.

Any insight will be helpful, thank you.:saint:

Specializes in Case Management, Acute Care, Missions.

I PM'd you...

Lori

I love this site. I am sorry that it has been so long since I have been on. I will definitely be contacting some people from the list given to me. I work in a small hospital in Arizona that is having financial issues so shipping may be expensive but a drive to Phoenix won't be. :yeah:

I am not trying to donate medication other than IV fluids. I just feel that we shouldn't throw away supplies that I know are still good it has only been expired early so that the company can get you to buy more. unfortunately we have items expire not because we are overbuying, but because the people stocking the shelves don't rotate as they should. I hope that we are able to help other people.

I don't think it will be fair to donate to poor countries when you know you can't use it. It's just giving them more problems a nursing school will be reasonable.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I don't think it will be fair to donate to poor countries when you know you can't use it. It's just giving them more problems a nursing school will be reasonable.

Huh?

As for donating to nursing schools since they are for profit institutions I'd rather see donations go to animal shelters or countries that don't have our guidelines and will use the supplies. Just my two cents of course.

I think you not using you two cents i think they need to work a bit harder are you trying to say guidelines can bypass something which has expired. Poor countries have also good human beings. What's wrong with students nurse to practice on dummies. My many concern personally isthe fact that the things have expired where she donates itdoes not matter as long as human being are not going to use that stuff poor or rich.

Huh?

As for donating to nursing schools since they are for profit institutions I'd rather see donations go to animal shelters or countries that don't have our guidelines and will use the supplies. Just my two cents of course.

I do know that Haiti won't accept out dated supplies or medicine. Not sure about other third world countries. If you have items that you no longer use and don't have outdates I can get you an address that will ship the items to the poor of Haiti.

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Expired meds can not be donated that I know of...however...especially in LTC/ALF/CNF where patients come in with samples and your facility can't use them (because they are not labled...you in the know know what that means!). We found an awesome solution!!!!!!!!!

We had so many of these 'samples' and couldn't use them (can't pass what we dont' have a label for...and pharm wouldn't label someone not of their pharmacy...don't blame them for that!)....we would donate those (not expired~!) to local medical teams that go overseas! Check out the ones for your state and see what their rules are...the local one here could take samples as long as they were NOT labeled with a patients Rx label...well gee..not a probelm because that was the original reason we couldn't use them!

We also had many pts that got large Rx meds via mail and didn't need as much as they were sent...with permission we were able to remove those labels (as long as they were sealed and in a bottle that has manufacture, med, dose, exp date, and what not..couldn't use a prescription style bottle, had to be a manufacturer bottle like those white kinds with the logos and what not or inhaler boxes!) and send them to the organization!

There are many rules about this per organization...so check with them first!

Old medical equipment can be donated to various church groups...we have one here "St. Vincent De Paul" that takes medical equipment and pts can use them free of charge (well a donation is gladly accepted!) till you don't need it or can buy your own..and they just ask to please return it for another person! Nice system!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

I am looking for medicine that hospitals no longer need because of expiriation. I live in Northern California. My wife and I go to Zimbabwe twice a year and would like to find a source for asprin and vitamins. Who can help me?

I'm not sure what all the details are about what they can and cannot take etc., but I know of an organization that sorts and sends out medical supplies to poor countries called Medshare. Their website is medshare.org. Hope this helps :)

I have a tax exempt, nonprofit organization and we arelooking for medicine that a hospital can donate. I will be taking the medicine to Zimbabwe on a missions trip. Items that I am looking for are: aspirin or multi vitamins. Can anyone help?

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I think you not using you two cents i think they need to work a bit harder are you trying to say guidelines can bypass something which has expired. Poor countries have also good human beings. What's wrong with students nurse to practice on dummies. My many concern personally isthe fact that the things have expired where she donates itdoes not matter as long as human being are not going to use that stuff poor or rich.

Lol, after 2 years I still feel compelled to point out that I never mentioned expired medications. :banghead:

I would like to know if anyone is aware of any medical facilities, drug stores, or hospitals that could donate overstocked or unused medicine such as, aspirin or multi vitamins to my non-profit, tax-exempt missionary ministry. I will be going to Zimbabwe in April 2009 and would like to take aspirin or multi-vitamins with me. Is this something that a hospital or medical facility will do?

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