Recycled meds program exceeds $10 Million

The Tulsa County Social Services Department, in collaboration with the Tulsa County Medical Society will hold an event this Friday, July 13, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the LaFortune Park – Fairways Restaurant to celebrate its Recycled Medication Program and to officially rename the Tulsa County Pharmacy as The George Prothro, MD Pharmacy of Tulsa County.  The program has provided patients with more than $10 million in prescription medications free of charge since the beginning of the program in September 2004.  The medications are recycled from 58 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Oklahoma.

Forty retired doctors and volunteers have safely transported the donated medications from these facilities to the County pharmacy 1,517 times and they will be honored at this event.

The program provides these medications to individuals and families in Tulsa County that would otherwise go without, or have to seek prescription vouchers from charitable organizations.

Social Services Director Linda Johnston says this is a win for everyone involved.  “This program really helps everyone involved because we prevent the shameful waste of this valuable medicine.  We lessen the impact on our environment and get them to people who really need them,” Johnston said.  “We also save Tulsa area non-profits from using their scarce resources on prescriptions or vouchers.  The taxpayers of Tulsa County benefit too because this program has only cost $5866.27.” she added.

The program began in September 2004 and quickly became a national and international model for recycling prescription medications.  It has distributed 110,387 prescriptions to Tulsa County residents who cannot afford the medications.  Values of the medications are measured in average wholesale price.

The celebration will feature officials from law enforcement, environmental protection, and the medical communities.