Passing on unused needles

[Nick25]

Due to a mistake, my GP practice issued me a box of 90 x 4mm needles ( for use with insulin pens) .I spotted immediately and they have since replaced with 8 mm needles but practice say they cannot accept the unopened 4mm box back into their system .
Leaving aside this ludicrous waste for the NHS , does anyone know of an organisation willing/able to accept these for some use? Needles ( despite being individually packed and in a sealed box ) seem to be excluded from some charity recipients.

 

[Pipp]

Just hand them in to the pharmacy that dispensed them , @Nick25. Although it does seem a waste, unfortunately. It does make sense that organisations won’t accept them, as some counterfeit items are hard to distinguish from the authentic items.

 

[Rachox]

Hi @Nick25 there is one charity I’ve heard of that used to send unwanted medical stuff to developing countries but that stopped during the pandemic, they do however send to Ukraine.

Helping Developing Countries - IDDT

Suspension of donations of unwanted, in-date insulin and other diabetes supplies We are always very grateful for the donations of unwanted, in-date and unused insulin and other diabetes supplies, such...

www.iddt.org

 

[Nick25]

Just hand them in to the pharmacy that dispensed them , @Nick25. Although it does seem a waste, unfortunately. It does make sense that organisations won’t accept them, as some counterfeit items are hard to distinguish from the authentic items.

Not convinced . This is the ( unopened) box that they handed me ( in a bag) at 11.00am and I queried at 12am . A total absence of common sense and just a microcosm of NHS waste.

 

[Nick25]

Hi @Nick25 there is one charity I’ve heard of that used to send unwanted medical stuff to developing countries but that stopped during the pandemic, they do however send to Ukraine.

Helping Developing Countries - IDDT

Suspension of donations of unwanted, in-date insulin and other diabetes supplies We are always very grateful for the donations of unwanted, in-date and unused insulin and other diabetes supplies, such...

www.iddt.org

Thank you I shall investigate further. I did do a search before asking here, and find a couple of charities taking some things , but needles were specifically excluded.

 

[Rachox]

Thank you I shall investigate further. I did do a search before asking here, and find a couple of charities taking some things , but needles were specifically excluded.

I hope they will, this is a section of their landing page:

The need is for:

• No longer needed, unopened and in-date insulin [with at least 3 months to the expiry date]
• Syringes, lancets, needles
• Glucose test strips

Good luck with finding a home for your needles.

 

[Nick25]

I hope they will, this is a section of their landing page:

The need is for:

• No longer needed, unopened and in-date insulin [with at least 3 months to the expiry date]
• Syringes, lancets, needles
• Glucose test strips

Good luck with finding a home for your needles.

I have just emailed them . If successful I will report back.

 

[SimonP78]

I'd be tempted to try them, 4mm needles have a lower chance of going intramuscular, which causes pain and faster absorption - I used to use 8mm needles (and before that 12mm) but moved to 4mm some time ago and have never looked back.

 

[Nick25]

I'd be tempted to try them, 4mm needles have a lower chance of going intramuscular, which causes pain and faster absorption - I used to use 8mm needles (and before that 12mm) but moved to 4mm some time ago and have never looked back.

Maybe , though my diabetic nurse switched me the other way a while back precisely because I seemed to be suffering from lack of absorption. I have been T1 for 55 years ( roughly 80,000 injections) and have thighs like a buffalo!

I'd be tempted to try them, 4mm needles have a lower chance of going intramuscular, which causes pain and faster absorption - I used to use 8mm needles (and before that 12mm) but moved to 4mm some time ago and have never looked back.