A program that allows unused prescription medication to be donated to the needy is helping thousands of Kansas residents, according to officials.
At a news conference Thursday at the Duchesne Clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, Gov. Jeff Colyer and officials of OptumRX, a pharmacy services company with United Health Group, said the prescription donation program has given more than $20 million worth of medications to the Kansas Unused Medication Donation Program.
Duchesne Clinic, part of Caritas Clinics, and the Silver Health Center in Kansas City, Kansas, are two of the 38 clinics in the state participating in the program.
The donation program began in 2009 when a law was passed in the Kansas Legislature, with assistance from the Kansas Board of Pharmacy.
“When the act passed, we saw an opportunity for the private sector and government to work together to help people in need, and to date it has been incredibly successful,” Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is a medical doctor, said. “Valuable and even life-saving medications that were going to waste under the old laws are now going to Kansans in need. We should celebrate and seek to emulate innovative programs like this to help the underserved get much-needed care.”
Among the frequently distributed medications at the clinics are insulin, diabetic supplies, antibiotics and antidepressants.
“Through the Kansas Unused Medication Donation Act, OptumRx has helped thousands of Kansans who often lack access to the affordable medications they need every day,” said John Prince, OptumRX CEO. “Supporting the communities in which we work and live is an important part of how OptumRx helps deliver better health outcomes and lower overall costs. We are honored to have been able to help those Kansans who need it most, and look forward to working with partners across the state to continue to help Kansans live healthier lives.”