Jackson County Democrats

Summary:

The Oregon legislature takes lead on lowering cost of drugs and protecting the environment with prescription give-back program.  The drug donation program will potentially save over 1 million unused prescription drugs that are thrown-away every year in Oregon, and safely get them to people who need the medication.  Aside from the worthwhile charitable aspect of the drug donation program, there is an important environmental component.

Ten years ago, the US Geological Survey became concerned about possible drug contamination in the Potomac River.  The agency studied 139 streams around the United States, and discovered that 80 percent of water samples contained drug residue (including pain medication, hormones, antibiotics, and blood pressure medicine).  The USGS findings were shocking, and indicated that drug residue was more invasive than had been imagined.  At the same time the Food and Drug Administration began to study the effects of drug residue in water to determine if the contamination would further worsen the problem of drug-resistant strains of bacteria.

Full Press Release: http://www.leg.state.or.us/press_releases/sdo_052209_IV.html

SALEM – The Senate voted today to create a program to allow Oregonians to donate their unused prescription drugs to uninsured and underinsured people who could not otherwise afford them. HB 2535 creates the Charitable Prescription Drug Program, a Board of Pharmacy-administered project to collect and ensure the safety of unused prescription drugs that can then be given to individuals in need.

 “No one should be throwing away life-saving prescription drugs when they could be used by others in need,” said Senator Bill Morrisette (D-Springfield), chair of Senate Committee on Human Services and Rural Health Policy. “Over 1 million unused prescriptions are discarded in Oregon each year. This program has the potential to help many Oregonians by creating a safe and cost-efficient depository for those drugs.”

With HB 2535, Oregon joins 30 other states that have created unused prescription drug donation programs. To be donated, the program requires that all prescriptions must be in their original sealed packaging, cannot show any signs of tampering, must be over nine months from their expiration date and must not belong to a certain category of controlled substances.

“This is a simple and important program that allows Oregonians to get and give a helping hand,” said Senator Martha Schrader (D-Canby). “What the Senate did today is give Oregonians a safe way to help their neighbors in need.”

HB 2535 was chief sponsored in the House by Rep. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) and Rep. Brent Barton (D-Clackamas) and will now go to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

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 For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit oregonsenatedemocrats.com

Contact Governor Kulongoski and voice your support for his signature:  http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/contact_us.shtml