Objectives In 2017, a new programme was created for recovering and reusing (i) unexpired Class A medicines (i.e. dispensed either by community pharmacies or by hospitals) in hospital settings and (ii) medicines for hospital use only (Class H). The aim of this study was to describe a three-year reuse programme and assess its impact on medicines cost savings. Methods The setting was AOU Citta della salute e della Scienza-in Turin (Italy). All the collected data referred to packages of medicines collected by/assigned to AOU for reuse over the 1 December 2017/1 December 2020 period. Retail prices were used to calculate the financial value of the medication. Costs for the time required for the reuse programme (a working group comprising a pharmacist, an administrative and a warehouse worker) were estimated. Key findings A total of 10 450 boxes were recovered for reuse (corresponding to 52% of donated boxes). The total value was euro1 300 000. Class H accounted for 73% (euro952 000) of the total value of the recovered medicines, while they represented only 9% of the packages collected by/assigned to AOU. Estimated cost for the reuse programme was euro75 806. Conclusions Medicine recycling programmes with appropriate checks can be implemented to facilitate reuse of medications in hospital settings. This study provides evidence that a reuse programme reduced drug expenditures, especially regarding the Class H medications. These results contribute to the debate regarding opportunity for recycling and sustainability in medicines management.
Medicine recovery and reuse in a hospital setting: a lesson from Italy
Gianino, Maria Michela
;Scattaglia, Marco;Colasanto, Irene;Scaldaferri, Matilde;Cattel, Francesco
2022-01-01
Abstract
Objectives In 2017, a new programme was created for recovering and reusing (i) unexpired Class A medicines (i.e. dispensed either by community pharmacies or by hospitals) in hospital settings and (ii) medicines for hospital use only (Class H). The aim of this study was to describe a three-year reuse programme and assess its impact on medicines cost savings. Methods The setting was AOU Citta della salute e della Scienza-in Turin (Italy). All the collected data referred to packages of medicines collected by/assigned to AOU for reuse over the 1 December 2017/1 December 2020 period. Retail prices were used to calculate the financial value of the medication. Costs for the time required for the reuse programme (a working group comprising a pharmacist, an administrative and a warehouse worker) were estimated. Key findings A total of 10 450 boxes were recovered for reuse (corresponding to 52% of donated boxes). The total value was euro1 300 000. Class H accounted for 73% (euro952 000) of the total value of the recovered medicines, while they represented only 9% of the packages collected by/assigned to AOU. Estimated cost for the reuse programme was euro75 806. Conclusions Medicine recycling programmes with appropriate checks can be implemented to facilitate reuse of medications in hospital settings. This study provides evidence that a reuse programme reduced drug expenditures, especially regarding the Class H medications. These results contribute to the debate regarding opportunity for recycling and sustainability in medicines management.
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