We are in the unfortunate position of having a good handful of unused, basic medical supplies. Tubing, saline syringes, IV caps, etc.
I would prefer that they get some use, but do not have the time or ability at the moment to sift through the Internet looking for a reputable organization to accept them. I know that makes this is kind of a LMGYFY question, but I’m hoping someone has the inclination or personal experience to help.
Thanks,
Rhythm
If the supplies can be used in a decent first aid kit I’d say donate them to a local Boy Scout troop. Scouts have to put together and carry with them a basic first aid kit; procuring the supplies can be cost prohibitive for the troop if it has more than a couple of patrols.
There are organisations that conduct charitable missions to needy areas. For example, Mrs. L.A. went on a medical mission to El Salvador with Joyce Meyer Ministries, and the nurses and other missionaries were asked to carry medical supplies in their baggage. IIRC, Mrs. L.A. sent a couple of boxes of medical supplies from her job to a person involved in the mission for distribution. (NB: The supplies were ‘expired’ or ‘not needed’ and she set up donation boxes at her office.) Some supplies just won’t be needed. Some ‘expired’ supplies may be accepted while others are not.
You may want to contact various relief organisations to see what they need, and/or if they will accept what you have. Local charities such as homeless shelters may have a need for some things too.
I can’t be sure of what your supplies were originally intended for, but if they were for dialysis (saline syringes and tubes which could be inserted intravenously were definitely on the list of things I used in home hemodialysis), a local dialysis center might take them off your hands. I know that the center which stood behind my home dialysis took back the excess supplies I no longer needed after my kidney transplant. As long as the sterile seals are intact, they should be happy to take them.
I have no clear answer for the OP, but one of things that tore my heart out working for S******** A***** was that any medical supplies donated could not be sold or even re-donated.
I once threw 5 cases of unopened, unexpired diabetic medicine into a dumpster, threw perfectly good wheelchairs, walkers, blood testing kits still in shrink-wrap into same.
I realize the legal liabilities involved here in the USA, but come on. That stuff is now in a landfill somewhere benefiting no one.
Syringes are useful for administering oral medicine to babies and animals. You could try some shelters.
Thanks. The tubing, syringes, caps, etc. were intended for total parenteral nutrition (TPN). There is also a small collection of ostemy supplies. Not something you’d find in a typical Boy Scout’s kit, though some may take the ‘be prepared’ motto pretty far.
Will eventually call around to local groups. In an odd place right now, where I want to move this out of the house as soon as possible, but don’t have the time or ability to really dig deeply. A simple search on “what do do with unused medical supplies” returns a lot of results. I’d normally start cross-checking by Charity Watch, etc., but don’t have it in me right now. Was hoping the Doper community had had some direct experience or knowledge of them or something like that.
But do have some good direction, thanks.
Have to say as an aside, it took me a few confused moments to realize that Starving Artist wasn’t refusing donated items.
I came to mention MedShare, which shows up in your Google search. I did have a positive experience with them a few years ago through work. One data point FWIW.
When on of the local hospitals consolidated a few of their clinics, in the process of moving all the equipment, they amassed an entire 26’ truck of sterile gloves, masks, tubing, needles etc…basically the non-perishables (also a few wheelchairs, inflatable splints and some crutches that became excess). The local Goodwill took all of that stuff for distribution for use in poorer parts of the world outside the US.
The look on the donation center managers face when I told him I was parked in his dock with a truck of that stuff…it was like Christmas, Easter, and his birthday all at once.
So I know that Goodwill, locally at any rate has a program for medical supplies, that would be a good place to check.
The Red Cross? Or at least they might know of suitable organisations.
The regulations for veterinary supplies are less strict than human supplies.
You might ask your veterinarian if there is a place that could take them. Perhaps a local animal welfare group could make good use of them.
Yes to animal shelters. After my husband died and again when a tenant died with no relatives at all, I have donated all equipment to shelters who were damn glad to have them.