[e-drug] Returned medicines and drug donations (15)

["Carolyn Green" <cgreen@aidsalliance.org>]

E-DRUG: Returned medicines and drug donations (15)
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Like other members of e-drug, I too am startled and concerned that the
RPSGB has chosen to revisit this issue. It would be helpful to know from
Colin Meek what has given rise to this. 

As a long-time member of the Society, I was happy that, after previous
debates over several years, the Society included in its "Medicines,
Ethics and Practice" publication a statement that pharmacists should not
be involved in recycling medicines. However, I can't now see this
statement in the current web-based publication at:
http://www.rpsgb.org/informationresources/downloadsocietypublications/#g

This may be because the Society has thought that the UK Hazardous Waste
Regulations introduced in 2005 were restrictive enough to have wiped out
the business of recycling. But the fact that Colin Meek has been asked
to work on the issue suggests that the issue is still live in the UK.
Pharmacists are still however, obliged to "Be satisfied as to the
integrity and quality of products to be supplied to patients" (Ethics
Code 1.6)

The Inter-Agency Guidelines for Drug Donations are pretty clear and well
argued. However, I know of various organizations that focus more on
supplying unwanted medicines to keep individuals' treatment going (for
example with ARV treatment) or to support small clinics in rural areas.
The Guidelines don't say anything about this kind of support and maybe
some new guidance is needed to set out what is ethical and safe in this
area?

Carolyn Green 
Senior Advisor: Training
Global Fund Support Team
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Brighton, BN1 3XF, UK 
E-mail: cgreen@aidsalliance.org