SALEM – Oregon Senate Democrats passed legislation on Tuesday that provides an additional pathway for donated prescription drugs to be made available to many of the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Senate Bill 1514 permits registered drug outlets participating in Oregon’s Charitable Prescription Drug Program to repackage certain donated prescription drugs and transfer them to other programs for distribution. It passed by a 28-0 bipartisan vote on the Senate floor.
“Oregon’s Charitable Pharmacy, inspired by my late constituent Professor Deanna Kingston, has improved the lives of thousands of Oregonians by ensuring they can get the prescription medicines they need,” Sen. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) said. “With this measure, distributing unused medications safely will become more efficient. That means less waste and better access for patients who desperately need these life-saving medications.”
The charitable Prescription Drug Program operates by accepting certain surplus drugs, repackaging them according to stringent requirements, and donating them to charitable pharmacies serving Oregonians in need. Currently, most eligible pharmacies do not have the space, staffing or equipment necessary to store and repackage the medications, which has been a barrier to the program’s positive impact.
SB 1514 changes that by making a simple fix to allow charitable pharmacies without the facilities or capability to repack drugs to get those life-saving medications – packaged and ready to dispense to patients – directly from other charitable pharmacies.
