Transcript Policies to Prevent Pharmaceutical Waste

Policies to Prevent Pharmaceutical Waste:
Looking at Sample Waste
Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.
June 4, 2012
Other Webinars
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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
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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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Today’s Panelists
• 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
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Rx :
reducing
pharmaceutical sample
waste
Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT
Industry Leader, Environmental & Regulatory
PSC Healthcare Services
Product Stewardship Institute webinar
June 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 EXAMPLES
Large hospital with clinics
• 25%
short dated
• 210 pounds
Small clinic system
• 22
pounds
• Retail ~ $20K
• Cost $6K
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RECOMMENDATIONS
No
samples
•Voucher
•CMS rule change
Policy
•Top Ten
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC
HEALTH
Drinking drugs?
Wonky wildlife?
Percent attribution
Benefits
QUESTIONS?
Catherine Zimmer
PSC Healthcare Services
[email protected]
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
• 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.
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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
Kate Hagemann
Associate, Policy and Programs
Product Stewardship Institute
[email protected]
Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT
Industry Leader, Environmental and
Regulatory
PSC Healthcare Services
[email protected]
Dan Simpson
Chief Development Officer Dispensary of Hope
[email protected]
Julie Granillo
Director of Outreach
Dispensary of Hope
[email protected]
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