Berkeley Parents Network: Donating/Recycling Medical Supplies & Prescriptions

Berkeley Parents Network

Donating/Recycling Medical Supplies & Prescriptions

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Charity, Donations & Recycling > Donating/Recycling Medical Supplies & Prescriptions

Donating opened medications
Donating Hearing Aids
Safe way to dispose of old/unwanted prescription medications
Donating Unused Medical Supplies?
Donating/Selling Fertility Drugs?
Donating Insulin Needles
Donating Eyeglasses
Recycling/Disposing of Prescription Drugs
Donating Wheelchairs

Donating opened medications

June 2007

I seem to recall hearing about being able to donate opened medications (non-narcotic) (eg. when no longer needed, or after a family member has died). Does anyone know where I can make this kind of donation? Thank you anon

Vida 6251 Hollis Street Emeryville CA 510-655-8432 will accept meidcal supplies and medication. They ship them to South American Clinics. Kathy

My fertility doctor gave me some free stuff. Someone had left over drugs and gave 'em to her to pass on & she did. Saved me a mint! So, my advice is to give it to the doctor who perscribed it. Because lots of us are broke!

Donating Hearing Aids

May 2007

My mom recently passed away and I'm wondering if we can donate her very expensive hearing aids. They were made for her ears and come with a little computer device to adjust the volume and tone. She didn't use them much cause she didn't like how they felt but we paid about $3000 for them and then a few years later had them repaired for $450.00 (yikes)....would love to know that someone can use them. Are there places to donate hearing aids? thanks in advance June

My grandmother died a few years ago in Marin, and Whistlestop ( a senior services organization) was happy to take her hearing aid and glasses. Another organization, located in San Francisco but serving all of Northern California, is also happy to accept used hearing aids: http://www.hearingspeech.org/support.htm
Althea's Granddaughter

I think RACOURSE takes them (see earlier post about medical items to recycle), and probably tour local Lions club which also takes used eye glasses (look in the phone book or call your city hall or chamber of commerce to find such service groups).
Heather

Safe way to dispose of old/unwanted prescription medications

March 2007

Can anyone recommend a safe, ecological, environmentally mindful way to dispose of old/unwanted prescription medications? We've phoned several local pharmacies, but they don't have a clue. Thanks! Grandma who just cleaned out the medicine cabinet, taDA!!

Check out www.recyclemore.com which is a link for West Contra Costa County Household Hazardous Waste Facility (1-888-412-9277) for how to recycle OTC and prescription drugs. eve

Donating Unused Medical Supplies?

Dec 2006

Does anyone know where I can donate unused (obviously) medical supplies? Our home health care company won't take them back and I hate for it all to go to waste. We have things like screw-top cannulas, vials for bloodwork, sterile face masks, and many other odds and ends. Any ideas?
Not a nurse, but starting to feel like one...

We took our unused home medical supplies to Childrens Hospital Oakland. The oncology clinic (in the outpatient building) sends them out to other medical facilities in need down in South America. Amy

I work for Child Family Health International (CFHI) in San Francisco, and we accept unused medical supplies that we inventory and ship to clinics around the world in South Africa, India, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico. Unfortunately we cannot pick up supplies, but you may drop them off at our office in SF, or if you would prefer to drop them at my house in the east bay (the sooner the better before the holidays) I would be willing to drive them into the city one day. Please see the website for details about what we do and do not accept. http://www.cfhi.org/recover.php4 You will receive a thank you for tax deduction purposes as a result of your donation. Thanks on behalf of needy clinics around the globe!! betsy

RACORSE Network Please Call: (510) 251-2273 Drop-off or Pickup: Call to make arrangements. General Info: Accepts reusable home healthcare equipment and materials & Medical Surplus and supplies: crutches, canes, walkers, wheel chairs, oxygen equip., gauze, and much more. They also have a facility in San Francisco 415-487-5405. The RACORSE Network's Home CARES Equipment Recyclers program is an innovative hybrid, marrying an environmental mission with a community healthcare approach. Home CARES leverages community resources by accepting used durable medical equipment and surplus home healthcare supplies and putting them in the hands of low-income people in need.
Heather

AIMS, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, a charity run by Mata Amritananda Mayi in Kerala, India, may take them. Check out http://www.amma.org, and look into the San Ramon ashram here in teh bay area, which is where they organize the donations yogini

Donating/Selling Fertility Drugs?

August 2005

I have an unopened package of injectable fertility medication (Follistim) left over from infertility treatments last winter. It expires next spring, before I'd be ready to try for another kid. It cost me about $300 - is there some legal way to sell or donate it, given that it's a prescription med? I hate to just throw it away. If I can't re-sell, maybe there's a program that helps people who can't afford fertility meds or something like that?

My doctor's office was willing to pass along my still-sealed meds to patients who needed them. If you think the medical practice is organized enough to do that, you might call and see if they'll take them off your hands and give them to someone who's struggling to pay for their treatments. Anon

Depending on where you bought them some places will refund you - i know apothicary.com does. Or i would return them to your doctor. Personally i would be worried about liability giving them or selling them personally. ivf mama

Hi, I am not sure about the legal issues, but there is an online classified-ad site where people sell their unused fertility meds: http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/7749/medical.htm Also, there is a yahoo groups list for women experiencing infertility, and they maintain a list of members who do not have insurance coverage for medication and would like donated fertility meds: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BabyOne/ Hope this helps. Anon

I gave mine back to my doctor and told him to give it to someone who could not afford it. m

Donating Insulin Needles

May 2004

Anyone know where I can donate almost 100 insulin syringes? My gestational diabetes days are officially over... - No Longer On Insulin

NEED is a needle exchange program loosely affiliated with the Berkeley Free Clinic. They would really appreciate a needle donation, as that is the most expensive part of the not very well funded program. You can do a drop off at any one of their 3 sites: Sunday evenings [6 - 8] at their van outside of the Clinic [2339 Durant], Thursday evenings [6 - 8] at their van down on Hearst at San Pablo, or Tuesday afternoons [4 - 6] inside the Long Haul, just across the street from the Starry Plough and La Pena on Shattuck. Their van is pretty recognizable and the folks are all extremely nice. Jean

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