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The Chicago Tribune Jon Yates What's Your Problem Column: Unused Antibiotics May Help the Needy

Posted on: Sunday, 25 December 2005, 15:00 CST

By Jon Yates, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune

Dec. 25--THE PROBLEM

Terry Leone couldn't find any agency to accept her donation of a powerful antibiotic she could not use.

THE OUTCOME

A Wisconsin pharmacy that caters to low-income patients accepted her donation.

Terry Leone couldn't just let her unused prescription drugs go to waste.

Leone, who is recovering from spinal surgery to correct a curvature, had been prescribed Zyvox, a high-powered, expensive antibiotic.

But her doctor switched her to another drug, leaving her with 21 extra bags of intravenous Zyvox, which she estimates are worth about $1,600.

She called several health agencies, hoping one would accept the excess drugs. None did.

So she wrote What's Your Problem.

"I hate to just throw it out," said Leone, 57, of Lake Bluff. "I'm not looking to make any money out of it. I'm not selling it.... Someone should be able to use it."

Turns out someone can. The Problem Solver found a pharmacy in central Wisconsin that serves uninsured and underinsured patients.

That facility, the Family Health Care Center Pharmacy in Marshfield, Wis., is part of a fledgling, six-month-old program called the Wisconsin Cancer Drug Repository. The program allows people to donate unused prescription drugs to pharmacies, which can then distribute them to people in need.

"It's a very, very expensive drug," said Robert Rigoni, the pharmacy's manager, who was happy to take Leone's donation as long as she would fill out a form saying the drug had been properly stored.

Rigoni even sent Leone a cooler with prepaid overnight postage so she could send the Zyvox at no charge. He said he would list the donated drugs on the pharmacy's Web site, along with a list of other donated drugs, to see whether any of his patients needed it.

Because Zyvox is used in treating cancer patients, it can be accepted in the Wisconsin repository.

Rigoni said the Marshfield pharmacy serves more than 4,000 patients throughout central and northern Wisconsin. The incomes of those patients are within 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

So far, six people have donated drugs to his pharmacy. None of the drugs has yet been distributed to a patient for use.

Rigoni said he tells all patients considering taking the free drugs that they were previously in another patient's possession. Some, he said, shy away from using a drug that is not directly from the factory. Others are interested because it can save them thousands of dollars.

Jennifer Williams, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said a similar program was proposed to the state House of Representatives this year, but the bill was not voted on.

Leone is excited her drugs might be put to good use. She said she tried to get her insurance company to take the Zyvox back, but it wouldn't. Neither would the hospital, nor several local agencies.

The intravenous drugs arrived at her home while she was still in the hospital, she said--before her doctor put her on another medicine.

"I'm so happy to give it to someone who can use it," Leone said.

HAVE A PROBLEM?

E-mail us your story, with as many details as possible, at yourproblem@tribune.com or write to What's Your Problem, Newsroom, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Please include your name and a way to contact you. We cannot respond to everyone, but we'll get to as many as we can.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Chicago Tribune

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Source: Chicago Tribune

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