Donating & Disposing of Medications & Drugs
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Donating & Disposing of Medications & Drugs
What to do with extra needles/meds from IVF cycle?
May 2013
For those who have gone through the IVF cycle, what did you do with your extra
needles/meds from your IVF Cycle? I have a couple unopened cartridges of
Follistim, several vials of Menopur and a one ganerellix left. What did you do with
your left over stuff?
praying for a miracle
I gave the leftover meds back to my fertility clinic. I asked that they donate
them to a patient in need, but I don't know if that happened.
Best Wishes
I gave my unopened meds back to the fertility clinic so they could give them to
other patients for free.
Good luck!
We took our extra needles to the Berkeley Needle Exchange. We just dropped them
off during one of the times their clinics were open. They were very happy to have
them.
We gave our extra medications to a friend who was going through IVF. If you don't
know anyone, maybe you've gotten friendly with some of the other women who you see
in the waiting room all the time?
Best of luck getting pregnant!
I mailed everything back to the company (we got our meds from an online pharmacy).
Anon
Please contact fertile hope.org. They are a non profit that provides support for
cancer patients facing infertility resulting from treatment.
been there
Dispensed medication, even unopened or unused cannot be given or donated or used. Even if
you return them or give them to the clinic they legally must dispose of the medication as
they have no guarantees of any tampering, actual age, etc.
The El Cerrito recycling center will safely dispose of your used/unused needles and also
has medication disposal on site. just drop by and you can dispose of all of this easily.
anon
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
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
Dec 2012
I have a bottle of antibiotics that need disposing and a
medicine cabinet of expired pills etc. Does anyone know
how/where i can dispose of these items?
I live in Albany, so as close as possible
Thanks!
You can take them to the El Cerrito Recycling Center on
Schmidt Lane. You need to put pills in a plastic zip lock
bag first. They have a bin on the right hand side as you
drive in that takes old drugs.
Gary
While I've occasionally disposed of expired medicines when
there have been announced drop-offs (most recently when the
Kensington Fire Dept. had one), the new pharmacy (Sal's) at
the top of Solano (so just up the street from Albany) has a
placard noting that they take old prescription medicine for
disposal at any time. This is the store that replaced the
old dance studio, next to the Verizon store (replaced the
old video store) and the Post Office (long-threatened with
closure, still there).
Albanian
Do not throw old medicines, syrups, etc. in the trash or
down the toilet! This includes over the counter stuff like
old aspirin, even strong herbal formualtions, vitamins,
cosmetics, house cleaning supplies, artists acrylic
paints, etc. etc.
Collect them and take them - along with all your old cans
of paint, batteries, solvents, weed killers, ...to the
free Hazardous Waste site off HWY 880 at 23rd Avenue. They
are now open Mon-Saturday 9AM - 1PM, I beleive. For RX
medicines, maybe pharmacies will dispose of properly now
if you return them. Also, contact the Ecology Center or
StopWaste.org to get more information.
It is so important not to poison future populations and
fish and wildlife with our toxic stew when things
breakdown in soil and water.
Judy
Look at this page to see where pharmaceuticals can be
dropped off:
http://www.savesfbay.org/pharmaceutical-disposal-sites
Also - EBMUD usually has a collection bin at Solano Stroll
(I know that's a while away), and every so often Albany has
a collection at the Senior Center, so you might call them
and see if one is scheduled.
R.K.
The new, amazing El Cerrito recycling center on Schmidt takes
expired medication.
El Cerritan
March 2009
I have several bottles of expired prescription medication that I would
like to dispose of safely (ie not throw down the drain or in the garbage).
I heard that Elephant Pharmacy offered a disposal program, but now that
they are closed, does anyone know of another place I can bring these
medications for safe disposal?
Thanks,
Mindy
I had prescription narcotics to dispose of and couldn't find anyone who
would take them. What I was finally told to do was to crush them up (in
double ziploc bag), mix them with something unappealing, like coffee
grounds, and put the mixture in the garbage.
Erin
I learned this trick from the East Bay MUD web site: Get a container
(maybe like a 2-quart Nancy's Yogurt container or a half-gallon milk
carton), fill it with cat litter, and bury the medicines in it. Then
just throw it in your trash. The cat litter is to discourage people
from getting it from your trash to eat it.
Of course if you have little kids then I'd put it in the outside trash
can just before pick-up so they won't get into it.
Francesca
If you can wait until September, the EBMUD booth at Solano Stroll has
done this the last few years. You could call them to find out if they
offer the service at other times/places.
R.K.
You are correct not to throw the medicines into the water system, so
bravo! As a Hospice nurse, we instruct folks to dissolve them in some
water, pour into kitty litter and put in the garbage can.
anon
To safely dispose of meds you no longer need or want, visit
http://www.baywise.org/DisposalLocations/tabid/67/Default.aspx for a
participating pharmacy in your area. Thanks for helping to keep
chemicals out of our landfills and water supply!
Last year I read in Readymade magazine that the best way to self-dispose
of prescriptions is to add a tablespoon of baking flour and a tablespoon
of water to the bottle, shake and toss the container in the garbage.
Perhaps you can combine multiple pills into one container for tossing
and recycle the others? Be sure to tear off the label with your
personal information and shred it.
New Mom
Municipalities and pharmacies that will take unwanted/unused/ expired
meds vary- and there are LOTS of options in the Bay Area. Visit this
website to search by location:
http://www.baywise.org/DisposalLocations/tabid/67/Default.aspx?type=Medicine
and if you are looking to dispose of controlled substances (think DEA)
wait for an advertised take-back event that has police presence and
where these drugs can be legally received and disposed of.
anon
You can dispose of old prescription medication at the West Contra Costa
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond (off
of the Richmond Parkway). They are open Thursdays, Fridays and the 1st
Saturday of each month from 9am-4pm (closed 12-12:30 for lunch).
DC
I just got a mailer saying that Central Contra Costa Sanitary District set up
three sites for pharmaceutical collection:
- Walnut Creek City Hall
1666 N. Main St, Walnut Creek
- Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Sheriff's Substation
2500 Alhambra Ave, Martinez
- Sheriff's Field Operations Building
1980 Muir Rd, Martinez
Drop off M-F 8-5. They want pills transferred to a plastic bag to ensure privacy.
Liquid Medication bottles should be sealed in plastic bag to prevent spills.
linda
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
What to do with unused Domperidone?
Jan 2011
I used Domperidone to boost my milk production
for breastfeeding, which is a drug I got online from New
Zealand because it's not approved by the FDA in the US. I
have a bunch of pills left that I won't use and that don't
expire for another year, but I have no idea what to do
with them. I am not hooked into the lactation community
on the East Bay so don't really know of anyone that could
use them. Any ideas for lactation consultants or others
who I can contact to put the pills to good use? Thanks.
anon
I'd be happy to buy it from you (or you could post on the
message boards at asklenore.com -- a web site for non-bio
breastfeeding).
Donating unused, 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!
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