This content originally appeared on diabetes-supplies” data-wpel-link=”external” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow external noopener noreferrer”>diaTribe. Republished with permission.
By Eliza Skoler
Key takeaways:
- If you have unused diabetes supplies that you no longer need, don’t throw them away. There are ways you can donate your supplies and help others with diabetes across the world.
- Organizations like Insulin for Life accept unused diabetes supplies including insulin, glucose meters, and test strips.
- Any donations must be unopened and not expired (unused insulin must be refrigerated).
If you’ve recently switched to a new diabetes/diabetes-medications” data-wpel-link=”external” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow external noopener noreferrer”>diabetes medication or device, you may have leftover supplies that you don’t need.
It might feel like such a waste to throw away things like insulin vials, needles, and test strips, especially when there are many people in the world who can’t afford or don’t have access to the diabetes devices and medication that they need to live healthy lives. The good news is, there are several ways to donate your extra diabetes supplies to someone in need.
It’s important to know right up front that your supplies should be unused, unopened, and not expired – most donations will not be accepted if the supplies are no longer sealed or if they have expired. Here’s more on how and where to donate.
Why it’s important to donate
Before insulin was discovered in 1921, a diabetes diagnosis was often a death sentence. Nearly 100 years later, it still is in many places. This is particularly true in less developed parts of the world, where many people with diabetes don’t have access to the most basic life-saving resources that we often take for granted: insulin, strips, and diabetes-technology/blood-glucose-meters” data-wpel-link=”external” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow external noopener noreferrer”>glucose meters.
There are many barriers to accessing diabetes supplies, including the high diabetes-medications/new-law-cap-insulin-35″ data-wpel-link=”external” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow external noopener noreferrer”>cost of insulin and blood glucose test strips, limited healthcare resources for diabetes, and lack of diabetes education. For these reasons and more, people in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America die from diabetes at much higher rates compared to those in the developed world.
Many patients in developed countries end up throwing out unused insulin and other supplies, particularly when changing treatment plans, but also at the end of every month. There are a variety of reasons that people with diabetes might have extra supplies including:
- They’ve switched from multiple daily injections to diabetes-technology/insulin-pumps” data-wpel-link=”external” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow external noopener noreferrer”>insulin pump therapy and have extra unexpired insulin vials, pens, syringes, and needles that are no longer needed
- They’ve changed their insulin prescription but still have extra vials of the previously prescribed one
- If they have type 2 diabetes and lose a significant amount of weight they may able to reduce their medications, leading to a surplus of supplies
- A pharmacy error leads to extra insulin that a person can’t use
- A person with diabetes passed away and had unused or extra supplies
How to donate diabetes supplies
Interested in donating? Here are several ways to get started.
Option 1: Contact your healthcare office
There is a chance that local healthcare offices and organizations in your area collect unused diabetes supplies to provide to other people who need them. You can call and ask them whether they are interested or able to accept any donations. If not, they also might have recommendations about who else to contact to donate. Local shelters and relief agencies may also potentially take donations.
Option 2: Contact local diabetes advocacy organizations
diabetes education centers and local branches of advocacy organizations may collect diabetes supplies or be able to refer you to other donation sites.
Option 3: Mail your supplies to a national organization
There are a number of organizations that accept diabetes supplies and equipment donations. The most well-known and widest-reaching is Insulin for Life, a non-profit organization that collects diabetes supplies from people in the U.S. for redistribution all over the world. Insulin for Life accepts the following supply donations:
For more details or to donate, click here. Any donated insulin must be unopened and unexpired. You can find instructions on how to pack insulin (with refrigeration) and other diabetes supplies here.
Integrated diabetes Services collects many types of diabetes equipment and supplies to distribute by request to people with diabetes around the world. Integrated diabetes Services currently accepts the following donations:
- Certain insulin pump and CGM supplies
- Overtape (unopened)
- Insulin (if local to the Philadelphia area)
To donate or request supplies, email info@integrateddiabetes.com or call 877-735-3648.
SafeNetRx collects medical supplies and redistributes them to people in need living in Iowa. This organization only accepts sealed and unexpired lancets, syringes, needles, and glucose test trips. To donate or learn more, click here.
Other organizations that accept medical equipment and diabetes supply donations include:
Thank you for taking the time to donate your old diabetes supplies to those who need them. At diaTribe, we are grateful each day for the strength and generosity of the diabetes community. Given the immense need, we’re hopeful that someday soon there may be easier and more effective ways to donate unused diabetes medications as well.
Learn more about accessing diabetes supplies here:
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