Donation of Expired Medications

I wanted to donate our expired prescription and over-the-counter medications to our local Greenville or Taylors free medical clinics or a missionary group bound for overseas.  After a winding journey, the final answer is that I can't.  This was an unpleasant surprise to me.  I am forbidden by U.S. law and the World Health Organization's guidelines. No one anywhere can.  Despite good intentions, there is too much potential for misuse for any agency to accept expired medications.  This is an important point.  Millions of expired medication pills are wasted each year being donated.  Many dollars also are spent safely disposing of expired medications by relief agencies.  Here's a story from the British Red Cross for Haiti.  So rather than compound the problem, here are directions on how to safely dispose of your expired medications by U.S. F.D.A. and internationally from the World Health Organization.  If you do want to donate unexpired medications, see the first WHO link above.

That's a look at an eye opening problem.  Nothing is simple in life.

Your Allergy Dude