Ohio Bill Would Allow Redistribution of Leftover Medicines

A bill that would allow unused prescription drugs to be redistributed to uninsured people and those who cannot afford medications has passed the Ohio House unanimously, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The proposal, which now goes to a state Senate committee, would allow individuals in possession of "individually sealed" prescription drugs that they no longer need to return them and allow authorities to redistribute them to individuals without drug coverage. Nursing homes and family members of people who have died are often forced to throw away expensive prescription drugs because state law prohibits pharmacies from accepting returns, the Dispatch reports. "I just find it a sin that we're throwing this stuff away," state Rep. Kirk Schuring (R), who sponsored the legislation, said. Schuring expects the legislation to be voted on by the state Senate in the fall. Some opponents of the legislation said drugs that were tampered with or improperly stored could be redistributed. However, state Pharmacy Board Executive Director William Winsley said that if the bill becomes law, his agency will "deal with" those issues (Crane, Columbus Dispatch, 6/17).