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Update on Medicine donations for Ukraine

medications

Information for the public looking for advice on how to support the Ukraine humanitarian effort with medicines donations.

We understand that many people in Wales will want to do all they can to help the people of Ukraine. As a result we have received a number of questions regarding the donation of surplus prescription medications.

The current advice is that members of the public should not donate their prescription medicines to Ukraine.  In addition to the logistical issues in Ukraine,  exporting and transporting medicines is complicated, UK medicines may not be routinely used in Ukraine so doctors and patients won’t be familiar with the medicines and medicine information will only be available in English.

How can I help?

There is a co-ordinated UK response to provide urgently required aid to Ukraine and as part of this effort, the Welsh Government is working closely with the UK Government, UK Health Security Agency and other Devolved Governments mobilising a variety of items that include medicines, in response to specific requests from the Government of Ukraine.

The Welsh Government website also has a page for members of the public looking to support the Ukraine humanitarian effort https://gov.wales/ukraine-support-people-affected  with the following advice:

  • Making cash donations, to organisations responding to the crisis in Ukraine, allows for emergency relief goods to be sourced locally.
     
  • Anyone who is able to help can consider making a financial donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee

The UK Government website also has advice on making donations safely https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-what-you-can-do-to-help

What can I do with my surplus medication?

Any unused or surplus medication should not be reused by anyone else and needs to be returned to a Community Pharmacy for destruction.

It is for this reason that we ask patients to only order what you need to help us reduce waste and reduce both the financial and environmental costs of destroying surplus medication.