I am so angry

Excellent point, Melissa... so sad it couldn't be given to those in need. And disposal shouldn't be that hard!!!

Does this help at all? They have a pharmacy locator by zip code that will accept expired meds. (I don't know the details.)

http://www.disposemymeds.org/

Ooh that takes me back to last year when I was on Lovenox, having developed dvt/pe during chemo.  I was on it for 4months, before changing to Warfarin for a year.

One month, when I went to pick up my prescription, the pharmacy told me that the dosage I needed was no longer available, so they made me take two lots of syringes, at significantly higher cost, and I was to take one and a portion of the second each time, discarding the remainder in each syringe.

I was not happy, but left with my two bags, and went to a foodstore nearby to pick something else up. I called at the pharmacy at that store to ask if they could check if the syringes I needed were in fact no longer available, as I wondered if I had been misinformed. They told me it was available, and I presumed a mistake had been made, so I went back to my first store to tell them. I was still carrying my bags of syringes they'd sold me.

So, the first pharmacy checked again, and admitted their mistake, but refused to take back the erroneous ones as I had "accepted them and left the store" with them, some 40 mins earlier. I hadn't even opened the bags, and they were in sealed boxes. 

I was physically and emotionally exhausted by then. I was on foot, and I still had clots in my lungs, yes? So tearfully I left the store and trudged home deciding how to word my "strongly written letter of complaint"! 

When I got home though, there was a message from the pharmacy assistant. She had spoken with her senior, and he'd agreed that I could hand the other stuff back in and they would order the right gear and have it by next day. 

So it ended ok, but why put me through all that nonsense? I was so sick at the time, and get angry again just thinking about it! And yes, it was bloody expensive!

I am from the Midwest.  I was vacationing in NYC, and had ordered a sandwich.  I only ate half.  The waiter came by and asked if I wanted to take the other half with me. Being in a hotel, I said no.  He said "may I have your permission to donate it to Second Helpings"?  I was taken aback. I'd never heard of such a thing. I said "Well, of course, I didn't touch it, really."  He said "Well, otherwise the homeless eat out of garbage dumpsters so that's not really an issue."  I was so sheltered and privileged I'd never thought about it that way. Since then, I've looked at every uneaten pan of food at every catered event and hoped it was being sent to Second Helpings.  The logistics can be a nightmare to always get the stuff to the proper organizations, but it's time well spent.

So, while this is medicine, not food - I don't see a difference.  Does anyone think an Oglala Lakota Native American living on Pine Ridge, would turn down possibly life saving medicine for free, on the tiny odd chance that it might be ineffective or tampered with, when the only other choice is no medicine at all?  I realize it may take more money to get this medicine to someone in need than to make more, but now we also have to dispose of these chemicals and that person still goes without.  It's just such a shame. We do so many things right in this country, but have so much still to do so we can be better.

whatnow - Are you Lakota?  From on/near Pine Ridge? Rosebud, Standing Rock?  I am not Lakota but do have many Lakota friends and live relatively close to Pine Ridge.  Of those I know they get what is needed medically through Indian Health.  

MelissaDallas - as on top of 'things' as you are you've probably checked this out but will ask anyway.  Have you checked with Missionary groups that have Missions in Third World countries?  They might be able to use in other parts of the World.  Just a thought if you haven't already checked.

added thought: meds and vaccines that are temperature sensitive can be shipped even in summer.  It takes correct packaging - insulated packaging, ice packs and 'over night shipping'.  Freezing can also effect some meds and vaccines.