policies to prevent pharmaceutical waste: looking at sample waste
DESCRIPTION
Policies to Prevent Pharmaceutical Waste: Looking at Sample Waste. Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. June 4, 2012. Other Webinars. • For a recording of and presentations from this webinar please see the Product Stewardship Institute website at: www.productstewardship.us/networkingcalls - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Policies to Prevent Pharmaceutical Waste:
Looking at Sample WasteProduct Stewardship Institute, Inc.
June 4, 2012
• For a recording of and presentations from this webinar please see the Product Stewardship Institute website at: www.productstewardship.us/networkingcalls
• Recordings from previous webinars are also available:– Unused Medications: Just how much are we throwing away?– Policies to Prevent Pharmaceutical Pollution: Initial Prescription Limitations
and Pro-rating Co-pays
Other Webinars
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Who is the Product Stewardship Institute?
• Non-profit founded in 2000• Membership:
• 47 States• 200+ Local governments
• Partnerships (75+)• Companies• Organizations • Universities• Non-US Governments
• Board of Directors: • 7 states, • 4 local agencies
• Advisory Council: • Multi-stakeholder (14 members)
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For the Audience: 2 ways to ask questions
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• Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT, Industry Leader, Environmental and Regulatory,
PSC Healthcare Services
• Julie Granillo, Director of Outreach - Dispensary of Hope
• Dan Simpson, Chief Development Officer - Dispensary of Hope
Today’s Panelists
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Rx2: reducing pharmaceutical sample waste
Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMTIndustry Leader, Environmental &
RegulatoryPSC Healthcare ServicesProduct Stewardship Institute
webinarJune 4, 2012
PHARMACEUTICAL SAMPLES
What are they?What are the concerns?
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BEST WASTE PRACTICE Source reduction
Reuse
Recycling
Treatment
Disposal
SAMPLE EXAMPLESLarge hospital with clinics• 25% short dated• 210 pounds
Small clinic system• 22 pounds• Retail ~ $20K• Cost $6K
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RECOMMENDATIONSNo samples
•Voucher•CMS rule change
Policy •Top Ten
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Drinking drugs?Wonky wildlife?Percent attributionBenefits
100% Hope, 0% Waste
Sign up today:www.dispensaryofhope.org/givemeds
Join the 1000’s of Providers
Easy to Donate
More Compliance. Less Paperwork.
The Right Thing to Do
Avoid Waste Compliance Acknowledgement Time/Cost Savings Enhanced Tax Benefit Help Patients
Lifting the Spirits of Patients
National Scope, Local Impact
25 States - 600 Providers of Hope - 75 Dispensaries
Policies to Reduce Sample Waste
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• Note: Samples used by their expiry dates may
reduce waste by allowing patients to try a new medication that they receive in a small quantity before filling a full prescription.
How can we reduce sample waste?
1. Develop a sample management plan
2. Require drug company representatives to take
responsibility for managing samples
3. Use vouchers instead of samples
4. Discontinue the use of samples
Develop a Sample Management Plan
Sample management plans can be developed voluntarily by clinics and practices. Plans could also be required by state or federal law. By developing a plan, the clinic or practice could:
a. Track the type and quantity of samples that go unused before their expiration date.
b. Identify types of samples which should be accepted because they help to meet patient needs, as well as those which should be refused because they are likely to accumulate as waste.
c. Track the disposal costs and savings that result from refusing certain samples.
d. Specify practice or clinic policies regarding the responsibilities of drug company representatives
Require drug company representatives take responsibility for managing samples
This can be done to varying degrees, but clinics can require representatives to:
a. Sign-in and provide the expiration dates of the samples they are leaving. This step facilitates the implementation of a sample management plan. The step can also be useful without a plan because it enables staff to track when samples with near-term expiration dates are being dropped off and if they are relatively more likely to expire on the shelf than to be used by patients.
b. Remove expired samples from their company. This can reduce, or even eliminate, the costs associated with disposal for the doctor’s office or clinic. Additionally, sample waste is less likely to be disposed of improperly if it is handled by the manufacturer.
Use vouchers in place of samples
• Companies can provide vouchers instead of actual drug samples• Patient can then take the voucher to the pharmacy to receive a small
amount of the medication • Pharmacy compensated for dispensing costs by the drug manufacturer. • Therefore “sample” drugs are dispensed only when greatest chance of
being used rather than expiring on clinic shelves. • Practice has the benefit of alerting the pharmacist that a patient has
received the drug to help identify possible drug interactions. *For Medicare and Medicaid patients, however, vouchers may be considered an
inducement to receive specific services and would be prohibited.
Discontinue use of samples
• Companies can provide vouchers instead of actual drug samples• Patient can then take the voucher to the pharmacy to receive a small
amount of the medication • Pharmacy compensated for dispensing costs by the drug manufacturer. • Therefore “sample” drugs are dispensed only when greatest chance of
being used rather than expiring on clinic shelves. • Practice has the benefit of alerting the pharmacist that a patient has
received the drug to help identify possible drug interactions. *For Medicare and Medicaid patients, however, vouchers may be considered an
inducement to receive specific services and would be prohibited.
Interested in Learning More?
Contacts
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Kate Hagemann Associate, Policy and ProgramsProduct Stewardship Institute [email protected]
Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMTIndustry Leader, Environmental and
RegulatoryPSC Healthcare [email protected]
Julie GranilloDirector of OutreachDispensary of [email protected]
Dan Simpson Chief Development Officer - Dispensary of Hope [email protected]