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1. What does AFA do with the donated medicines?
AFA currently provides lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and treatment education (secondary prevention, side effects management, adherence support) to over 550 HIV+ individuals (mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean) who would not otherwise have access to these life-saving therapies. We have a waiting list of 300 more, and it grows larger every day.
Through our AIDS Treatment Access Program, we also work to empower our clients to become their own health care advocates and activists. And we cultivate and maintain personalized relationships between our patients ("clients") and local healthcare providers, offering strong support networks.
All donated medicines are sent directly to patients and/or their healthcare provider. Aid for AIDS has established, on-going relationships with both doctor and patient in order to insure proper use and continuity of care.
2. What medicines does AFA collect?
We collect ("recycle") all antiretroviral medications, including protease inhibitors (Fortovase, Crixivan, Norvir, Kaletra, Viracept, Reyataz, Lexiva, Invirase), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Epivir, Trizivir, Zerit, Videx, Viread, Emtriva, Ziagen, Retrovir, Hivid) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Viramune, Sustiva, Rescriptor).
We welcome both adult and pediatric formulas and dosages.
We also collect and welcome donations of medicines to prevent and treat HIV-related opportunistic infections ("OIs") such as antibiotics, antifungals, other antivirals (e.g., for herpes infections) and anti-neoplastics (e.g., for HIV-associated malignancies). Other medicines include those used for HIV wasting disease and side-effects management (e.g., for peripheral neuropathy, lipid lowering drugs, anti-emetics).
3. Does the U.S. government allow donated drugs to be sent abroad?
All donated medications are distributed outside the United States as humanitarian aid. For more information, see the World Health Organization's "Guideline for Drug Donations" at: Department of Essential Drugs and Other Medicines, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
4. Does AFA accept medications past their expiration date?
In 1996 The World Health Organization urged countries to refuse free drugs that didn't have at least a year left before expiration.
Despite the fact that there exists a large body of investigatory evidence supporting the continued safety and quality assurance of all but a select few exceptional medicines, it is currently AFA's policy not to accept medicines past their expiration date. For more information, see "Do Medications Really Expire?" in our Press Room or Laurie Cohen's report in the 03/29/00 Wall Street Journal where she noted that: "Most drugs the Food and Drug Administration retests for the U.S. military prove safe and potent long past their expiration dates."
5. Do I need to do anything to the bottles before I send them?
To comply with applicable legal structures and to respect the confidentiality of persons living with HIV, we kindly request that you remove the names and addresses of all individuals from prescription bottles.
Please place all pill bottles in a (sealable) plastic bag and place this bag inside a cardboard box. All pill bottles should be securely closed. Please: no loose capsules or tablets should be present in the plastic bag or box!
6. What if the medicine requires refrigeration?
Three of the protease inhibitors, as well as Fuzeon, require refrigeration:
- Fortovase (soft-gel saquinavir)
- Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) capsules
- Norvir (ritonavir) capsules
- Fuzeon (enfurtivide/T-20)
Please promptly refrigerate these medications once in your possession and keep them refrigerated until the day they are shipped.
7. I live or work in the New York City area. What is the best way to get the medicines to you?
If you live in the New York metropolitan area, you can drop medications off at one of our NYC drop-off sites:
SOHO/Tribeca
Aid for AIDS
515 Greenwich Street #506
(Closest corner is Hudson and Spring)
Subway directions: Closest subway is #1/9 train to Houston Street stop or E/C train to Spring Street stop
West Village
Lesbian and Gay Community Center
208 West 13th Street
(Between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Leave box at front desk at main entrance
Subway directions: Closest subway is 14th Street stop on #1/9/2/3 and A/C/E train to 14th Street stop.
Chelsea
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC)
119 West 24th Street Ð 7th Floor
(Between 6th and 7th Avenues)
Leave with/for Fausto Paez
Subway directions: Closest station is 23rd Street stop on B/D/F/V trains (and PATH) or 1/9 train.
If you need to arrange for a pick-up, please call or e-mail us to arrange for a pick-up. (We usually make pick-ups every other Friday).
Telephone: (212) 337-8043 extension 25
E-mail:
8. I live outside the New York City area. What is the best way to get the medicines to you?
For medicine donations outside of the New York City area, please ship all medications via U.S. mail (or any other carrier you wish to choose) directly to our New York City office:
Aid for AIDS
515 Greenwich Street #506
New York, NY 10013
(212) 337-8043 ext. 25
If you are sending cold-storage medicines, please send these medications Priority Next Day Air in order to keep the medication from deteriorating. (It's okay to put both cold-stored and non-cold-stored medications into the same box for shipping.) No dry ice or cold packs are required for Cold Stored medications.
9. What if I cannot afford to send you the medications I have?
We can also arrange for United Parcel Service (UPS) to pick up boxes of 5 lbs or more if you or your organization is not able to absorb the cost of shipment.
If you need to arrange a United Parcel Service (UPS) pick-up, please call our office (212-337-8043 extension 25) so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you.
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