Spare lancets

[Ryhia]

I am looking to get rid of at least 25 boxes of lancets, 50 lancets to a box. The Sinocare test strips I purchase come with a lancet for every test strip to allow the lancet to be changed every day, however I only change my lancet when I remember, which is not very often. Consequently I have lots of unopened boxes just gathering dust. Rather than just binning them, does anyone know where I may be able to donate these to a good cause, preferably locally, I live in the North East of England. I have found these lancets to be interchangeable with different finger prickers so I think they may be universal. Thanks

 

[Oldvatr]

There is a design of lancet that is indeed universal, and interchangeable. There may be a buy and sell facebook page for your town or area which people can post on. Then there are charities like Diabetes UK (DUK, the other one) or St Johns Ambulance. Local Care Homes? Local Hospice? or charity shops. However, many of these will not be able to accept them because of hygene issues.

Last resort, pharmacies offer recycling facilitites for things like inhalers, but the meds returned get incinerated for hygene reasons and because they are usually out of date.

 

[Ryhia]

Thank you @Oldvatr, I will look into these options, anything is better than having them lying around gathering dust or just going in the bin. They are all in sealed boxes so it shouldn't be a problem regarding hygiene. I wouldn't even mind posting them on to someone who struggles to buy them but I guess that might be fraught with complications. Thank you for the suggestions.

 

[Oldvatr]

Thank you @Oldvatr, I will look into these options, anything is better than having them lying around gathering dust or just going in the bin. They are all in sealed boxes so it shouldn't be a problem regarding hygiene. I wouldn't even mind posting them on to someone who struggles to buy them but I guess that might be fraught with complications. Thank you for the suggestions.

I suspect most users here are reusing single lancets until it gets blunt. Then they change it. I am still using the box that came with the meter seven years ago. The people who will be interested will be those in a situation where one meter is used to test multiple people since that requires a new needle at each change. So, anyone doing a fundraising roadshow like DUK do at fetes and shopping centres, communal care centres. etc.

 

[EllieM]

The Sinocare test strips I purchase come with a lancet for every test strip to allow the lancet to be changed every day, however I only change my lancet when I remember, which is not very often.

Any chance you could contact sinocare and ask if you could buy the strips without the lancets? (Though it sounds like you now have more than a lifetime's supply. )

 

[Ryhia]

Thank you folk, you have given me some good ideas to explore.