SENATE MAJORITY OFFICE Oregon State Legislature State Capitol Salem, OR

News Release

May 22, 2009

CONTACT:    Molly Woon (503) 986-1074

molly.woon@state.or.us

Senate supports prescription drug donation program

Charitable Prescription Drug Program will provide a safe, regulated way to donate medicine

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