Cancer and Chronic Disease Drug Repository
Question & Answer Forum

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• What are the drug donation requirements?
  Donations must:
  1. Be accompanied by a completed cancer and chronic disease drug repository donor form that is signed by the donor or that person's authorized representative.
  2. The drug is not adulterated or misbranded.
  3. The drug will not expire until at least six months after the donation is made.
  4. The drug is in its original, unopened tamper-evident unit dose packaging.

• What is an adulterated or misbranded prescription?
  Adulterated means the medication has degraded, been stored improperly or has had something happen to it where the medication is no longer safe to use. Misbranded may mean the medication was originally labeled incorrectly and, therefore, makes the medication unsafe to use.

• What does tamper evident unit dose packaging mean? Can I donate medications that I received from the pharmacy in a bottle?
  Tamper evident unit dose packaging is packaging where each individual pill is sealed in a plastic bubble typically with a foil type backing. Eligible packaging may also be an inhaler sealed in a foil wrapper or an injectable medication with the manufacture vial cap intact. Medications received from a pharmacy in the typical brown or amber bottle are not eligible for donation.

• Can controlled substances be donated?
  Controlled substances such as morphine, oxycodone or lorazepam cannot be donated. These medications are typically used for pain, anxiety and sleep and cannot be returned to a pharmacy or medical facility according to federal law.

• Where can I donate my prescription?
  Participating pharmacies and medical facilities are listed (PDF, 9 KB) on this web site. Please contact individual locations about their specific hours and donation procedures.

• Can cancer and chronic disease medications be donated from people in other states?
  Yes, but this may be difficult unless the participating pharmacy has a relationship with the donor. Pharmacies and medical facilities are required to inspect the medication to assure it is not adulterated or misbranded.

• Who is eligible to receive the medications?
  Wisconsin residents (1) who have a valid prescription from their physician, (2) who have cancer, and (3) do not have the means to pay for the medication, may receive the medications. If the medication is going to be destroyed because there is not a Wisconsin resident who needs the medication, it can be provided to out-of-state residents.

• Is there a charge to receive the medications or supplies?
  Pharmacies may charge a fee for the counseling, preparation and documentation they are required to do when dispensing donated medications. That fee currently can be up to approximately $13 per prescription, but can be no more than $15.

• How do we find out which medications are available?
  Please contact the participating pharmacies or medical facilities (PDF, 9 KB)  regarding which medications they may have available.

• Why does Wisconsin have a cancer and chronic disease drug repository program?
  It is important that cancer patients have access to the medications and supplies they need to fight their battle with the disease. Wisconsin Statutes 255.055 authorized the Department of Health and Family Services to establish and maintain a cancer drug repository program. In doing so, the Department was required to develop administrative rules for the program. Wisconsin Administrative Code HFS 148 addresses the following:

  • Criteria for cancer drugs and supplies that the program will accept;

  • Eligibility requirements, standards and procedures for medical facilities and pharmacies that accept, store and dispense the donated drugs and supplies;

  • Criteria for identifying individuals that are eligible to receive donated cancer drugs or supplies;

  • Limits for the handling fee that may be charged for accepting, distributing or dispensing medications; and

  • The forms to be used to record the donation and dispersal of drugs and supplies.

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Last Revised: June 30, 2008