E-DRUG: Why donations of sample/outdated drugs are welcome (cont)
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Dear WB: Just a small, but not unimportant, point about the Interagency
Guidelines and the recipient who wishes to utilize short-dated donations:
The recipient is entirely within the wording and intent of the guidelines if
he or she accepts a donated product with full, advance knowledge that the
donation has less than a year before expiration. Thus, these folks need not
seek to be "exempted" from the guidelines. They are entirely in conformity with
them. In our view, the recipient's agreement should be obtained before
the shipment is made. It's not acceptable to have the donation arrive in
say, Pristina, and then to call a hospital or clinic and ask them to accept
something with, say, 100 days left; given their situation (I was there 2
weeks ago) they'll probably take almost anything. That's not the respectful way
to treat these people, who are working absurd hours, getting no pay, and
deserve the best we can provide.
This is not to say, of course, that the chap who accepts expired drugs is
acting within the letter or spirit of the guidelines. I would suggest,
again, that rather than patronize him, we should seek to get him in touch
with outfits willing and able to provide fresh product.
Jim Russo
Partnershiop for Quality Medical Donations
Bernville, PA USA
jbrusso@aol.com
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