Expired Epipens-- what do you have?

[becca]

So, embarrassed to say, 80 pens.  A few were Ds's.  They way 10.8 pounds, according to dd. Ds calculated $40,000 at the price of $500 each, but actually, it is $500 per twin pack, no?  But, seriously, think of that expense at today's prices, over the life of a child until they can purchase their own. Fortunately for us, most of these were a modest copay compared to the last couple of years.  I have the choice to get 3 sets by mail for $30(it may have changed), or for $300 each twin pack at CVS.  Seriously.  So, I'll refill in October.  Lowest risk of extreme temps.

[LinksEtc]

Saw this & thought you might be interested CM:


Tweeted by @Donteatmagnets
Julie Brown MD

Epigate came a few months too soon for our systematic review of epi stability stored in syringes. Scrambling to get it publication-ready.

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We have a few recently expired (I think).

[CMdeux]

Thanks-- I might contact her if it looks like I can do this.  It'll be two weeks until I have a home base to figure that out. 

 

[ajasfolks2]

Geez.  We have big bag full (maybe 40?) . . . just couldn't figure out where to get rid of them and didn't use all for practice.

[joanna5]

We have 50+ dating back many years.  We don't need that many for training and with two kids who carry them and have them at school, too, we have a LOT.

[catelyn]

Oh man, I only have maybe 4 expired ones.  Why would you keep that many expired ones? 

[ajasfolks2]

Disposing of them can be a challenge . . . . we never felt we should put one into regular trash, even if used.

[spacecanada]

Don't pharmacies everywhere take back medications and sharps for disposal?

[Puddles]

I recently brought a bag of old pills and liquids, both Rx and OTC along with epi-pens going back to about 2012. They were not accessible in an emergency.

I did recently discover that all 3 epi's we are carrying were expired.  And there were no refills on our scripts at the pharmacy. The day after I picked up new ones I found an unexpired one in the cupboard.

So currently I have 3 expired in 2015, 1 will expire in 2016, and 2 are good until 2017.

[becca]

Don't pharmacies everywhere take back medications and sharps for disposal?

Nope.  I called around, and none here would take them.  I only fairly recently, relative to how long we have been getting epipens, discovered that our Town Hall has a sharps disposal box. 

[name]

Forgive me for party-pooping, but in spotting a potential boo-boo... Can a controlled substance be transferred via USPS (or private delivery) even if expired?  Not to mention across state lines.

[becca]

Actually, name, I questioned the same in my initial response.  I had mentioned, if I could legally get them to the right person, I would be happy to help, but not sure that I can.  There will also be much unknown about the storage of the expired pens, especially since expiry. 

[YouKnowWho]

Oh man, I only have maybe 4 expired ones.  Why would you keep that many expired ones?

I'm happy to be rid of them but pharmacies won't take them and just found out the expired drug round up for my county won't either.  What am I supposed to do with them?

[Ciel]

My pharmacy takes them back so I stay on top of them and don't keep anything but the most recently expired set at home as a back up.

YKW, can you contact the pharmacy to ask what they suggest? Or check if you can drop them off at the hospital for disposal in a sharps bin?

[PurpleCat]

Our allergist's office takes them and puts them in their sharpes container.