Want To Donate Your Unused Diabetes Supplies?

This content originally appeared on Diatribe. It was reissued with permission.

by Eliza School

Important takeouts:

• If you have an unused diabetes supply you don’t need anymore, don’t throw them away. There are ways to donate your supplies and help others with diabetes around the world.
• Tissues like Insulin for Life accept unused diabetes supplies such as insulin, glucose meters, and test strips.
• The donation is unopened and has not expired (unused insulin must be refrigerated).

If you recently switched to a new diabetes medication or device, there may be some remaining supplies you don’t need.

It may feel like such waste, especially if there are many people in a world where they can’t or have no access to the diabetic devices and the medications they need to lead a healthy life. The good news is that there are several ways to donate your extra diabetes supply to those in need.

It is important to know immediately that consumables are unused, unopened and not expired. Most donations are not accepted if consumables are no longer sealed or expired. Details on how to donate and where to go are listed below.

Why is it important to donate?

Before insulin was discovered in 1921, diabetes diagnosis was often a death sentence. Almost 100 years later, it is still in many places. This is especially true in less developed areas of the world where many people with diabetes don’t have access to the most basic lifesaving resources we often take for granted: insulin, strips and glucose meters.

There are many barriers to accessing the supply of diabetes, including the high costs of insulin and blood glucose test strips, limited medical resources for diabetes, and lack of diabetes education. Beyond these reasons, people from sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America have died of diabetes at a much higher rate compared to people from developed countries.

Many patients in developed countries will be dumping unused insulin and other supplies, not only when they change their treatment plans, but also at the end of each month. There are various reasons why diabetics may have extra supplies such as:

• They have switched from multiple daily injections to insulin pump therapy and have insulin vials, pens, syringes and needles with no extra periods that they no longer need
• They changed their insulin prescription, but still have an extra vial of previously prescribed vials
• If you have type 2 diabetes and lose a significant amount of weight, you can reduce your medication and lead to excess supplies
• Pharmacy errors lead to extra insulin that people can’t use
• A diabetic person died and had unused or extra supplies

How to donate diabetes products

Are you interested in donating? There are several ways to get started.

Option 1: Contact the Healthcare Office

Local healthcare providers and organizations in your area may collect unused diabetes products and provide them to other people in need. You can call them and ask if they are interested or if they can accept donations. If not, they may have recommendations as to who else to contact. Local shelters and relief agencies may also make donations.

Option 2: Contact your local diabetes advocacy group

Local branches of the Diabetes Education Center and advocacy groups can collect diabetes supplies or refer them to other donation sites.

Option 3: Mail the supplies to national organizations

There are many organizations that accept donations of diabetes supplies and equipment. The most famous and widest reach is Insulin for lifeA non-profit organization that collects diabetes supply from people in the US for redistribution around the world. Insulin for insulin accepts the following supply donations:

Click here to learn more or to donate. The donated insulin must be unopened and expired. Here you can find instructions on insulin (with refrigerated) and other ways to supply diabetes.

Integrated Diabetes Services Collects many types of diabetes equipment and supplies to distribute by request to diabetic patients around the world. The Integrated Diabetes Service is currently accepting donations:

• Specific insulin pumps and CGM supply
• Overtape (unopened)
• Insulin (for locals in the Philadelphia area)

To donate or request supply, email [email protected] or call 877-735-3648.

SafeNetrx Collect medical supplies and relocate them to those in need who live in Iowa. This tissue only accepts sealed, unexpired lancets, syringes, needles, and glucose tests. Click here to donate or find out more.

Other organizations accepting medical devices and diabetes supplies include:

Thank you for taking the time to donate your old diabetic supplies to those who need them. At Diatribe, we are grateful every day for the strength and generosity of the diabetic community. Given the immeasurable needs, I hope that one day there may be an easier and more effective way to donate unused diabetes medications soon.