fbpx

HIV MEDICINE RECYCLING PROGRAM

FROM WASTE TO LIFE

Medicine recycling is defined as the process of gathering, sorting, and storing unused medicines before their expiration date, discarding what is no longer viable, and redistributing these medications to non-US territories as humanitarian aid.

Since 1996, the AID FOR AIDS (AFA) HIV Medicine Recycling Program has been a pioneering and essential program that collects unused and unexpired HIV medicine in the US to recycle and redistribute it to people with HIV in the developing world with no access to treatment. Over 37 million people are living with HIV around the world and over 40% still lack access to treatment.

The HIV Medicine Recycling Program is designed to reach people with HIV who are on treatment and who may have unused and unexpired medicine that they no longer need. AFA reaches this population through community-based organizations that support the HIV community, medical centers and health care providers, and even directly through advertisements or mailers.

The following are the 3 steps AFA takes on an ongoing basis:

01
Collection:
AFA raises awareness of the program in the US and secures donations of unused & unexpired HIV medicines from the following:

  • People with HIV
  • HIV organizations
  • Medical centers, clinics, and health care providers
  • Pharmacies
02
Recycling:
AFA gathers, sorts, discards and stores unused unexpired medicines including:

  • Antiretrovirals: Protease Inhibitors (PIs), Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs), Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs), Entry Inhibitors, and Integrase Inhibitors.
  • Any other medicines that may benefit people with HIV including antifungals/ antimycotics, antibiotics, treatments for respiratory conditions, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, Hepatitis C, and other comorbidities
03
Redistribution:
AFA formally enrolls people with HIV in the developing world into its treatment program. Their healthcare provider conducts appropriate clinical monitoring and follow-up.

AID FOR AIDS accepts all unexpired antiretroviral medicine as well as all medicine that may be useful to manage co-morbid conditions in people with HIV. AFA will accept bottles that have been opened as long as the medicine is still unexpired. AFA accepts sealed containers of liquid and powder medications, and both sealed and unsealed containers of pills.

To make any medicine donation, please follow these instructions:

If you live in the New York Metropolitan Area, please check the list of drop-off points available in that area to avoid incurring packaging and shipping expenses.

Please remove the names and addresses of all individuals from prescription bottles in order for us to comply with privacy and confidentiality laws. Always leave name of the medicine and expiration date visible.

Please place all pill bottles in a (sealable) plastic bag and place this bag inside a padded envelope or cardboard box. All pill bottles should be securely closed. Please: do not send any loose capsules or tablets inside a plastic bag or box!

Please fill out the Donor card, print it, and place the card inside the envelope or box. If you would like to keep your donation anonymous please still fill out the other information requested which enables us track donations and monitor trends.

This site is registered on wpml.org as a development site. Switch to a production site key to remove this banner.