New EU Ban on Used Medication Creates Difficulties for Charities

[The Straight Story]

New EU Ban on Used Medication Creates Difficulties for Charities


Many developing countries face a dearth of effective and affordable medicines - a gap that has been partly met by exporting unused medications from richer nations. But a European Union directive now bans member states from exporting unused medications. The directive went into effect in France this year - and is creating difficulties for some charities.

For years, the Paris-based Order of Malta has been sending unused medicines to developing countries, many of them in Africa. The Christian charity receives about 15-hundred tons of unused medications every year.

The group says pharmaceutical experts are careful to discard those that have expired or are inappropriate, and it only responds to specific requests by hospitals or other clinics in developing countries.

Alain de Tonquedec, a spokesman for Order of Malta, says the top demands are for medicines that treat digestive and cardiovascular problems, which are leading causes of death in Africa. The charity also sends medicines that help treat blood problems for women after they have given birth.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-25-voa6.cfm

[Donnachaidh]

1. So Big Pharma has gotten to the EU? n/t

[Iterate]

2. "Kuba Kästen" in Germany

"Cuba bibs" at the neighborhood pharmacies in Germany are bins where unused medication, in the original packaging, can be placed for redistributed. It's a much better idea than feeding it to the fish...and I was inspired that someone could be so thoughtful.

Also I was curious as to how the redistribution worked and how it's safety could be assured but no one seemed to know. All that anyone could say was that it was picked up once a month and presumably sorted, checked, and shipped.

Rather than eliminating it in the EU, it seems like a good idea that should be spread.