HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 80


(By Delegates Perdue, Hatfield, Tucker, Susman, Marshall, Longstreth, Moore, Long, Hrutkay, Frederick, DeLong, Webster, Brown, Rowan, Hall, Ashley, Border, Schadler, Sumner and Lane )

(Originating in the Committee on Health and Human Resources; referred to the Committee on Rules)

[Introduced March 1, 2006]



Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the feasibility of establishing a drug repository program for unused, nonnarcotic drugs for distribution to free health care clinics, primary care centers and other charitable medical facilities together with cost effective means of collection and distribution of such drugs.

Whereas, Many West Virginia citizens are in need of various costly nonnacarotic drugs and do not have the means or resources available to obtain the drugs they need; and
Whereas, Large amounts of unused nonnarcotic drugs for medical patients, including patients at healthcare facilities , and in particular, long term healthcare facilities, are destroyed or discarded each year after the patient is no longer in need of them; and
Whereas, These patients, their families and the healthcare facilities currently have no readily available means to return the drugs or to give them to people who are in need of these drugs but have no available means to purchase or obtain them; and
Whereas, A drug repository program could accept and collect unused, unopened and individually packaged, and unopened multiple dose packaged nonnarcotic drugs from patients or their families and healthcare facilities which could then be distributed to free medical clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, primary care centers or other healthcare facilities electing to participate in the program, and then be distributed to patients who are in need of the drugs but have no other available means to obtain them; and
Whereas, At least 27 other states have adopted legislation to provide for the establishment of a drug repository program and several other states are considering or have considered similar legislation; while details of the laws vary, most allow the return of prescription drugs from state programs, longterm care facilities or other medical facilities to be returned to needy patients; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the feasibility of establishing a drug repository program for unused, nonnarcotic drugs for distribution to free health care clinics, primary care centers and other charitable healthcare facilities together with cost effective means of collection and distribution of such drugs ; and, be it
Further Resolved, The Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the Legislature, on the first day of the regular session, two thousand seven, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations together with drafts of any legislation to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.