what do I do with excess harvoni ?

[buddyb]

My doctor over estimated my regiment period by four weeks therefore resulting in an excess of this expensive drug. Although the four week supply I have (28) pills is in the original bottle with the seal unbroken the pharmacist refuses to take them back and my doctor will not advise me in this matter stating that what he feels what I should do with them is unethical for him to elaborate on (whatever that mean). With insurance and pap I was still out of $20,000 dollars for this stuff and I would like to get half of that back at the very least ! Does anyone have any ideals on how I can achieve this or do I need to just flush them? I'm aware of online pharmacies and I. considered contacting them about a possible sale but I,m not sure if it's legal to sell prescription drugs to any entity even thought they are not on a scheduled list. I'm not inclined to break any laws. Any thoughts on this? Please advise!

[gnatcatcher]

Different states have different laws, but the outlook isn't good. Here's a link from when this issue came up before:
http://forums.hepmag.com/index.php?topic=3268.msg29323#msg29323
and here's a link to the laws in various states:
http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-prescription-drug-return-reuse-and-recycling.aspx

Flushing is never a good option for excess medicine -- it can harm wildlife.

I really feel for you regarding the $20,000. If it happened to me, I'd be experiencing some pretty strong emotions about that doctor.

[dragonslayer]

Buddy, it sucks, but what do you mean when you state that the doctor 'over estimated' your requirement? 

[Baxter]

Pharmacies can't take them back, and you can't legally sell them, because they were "outside the chain of custody" so to speak. Even if they are in a factory-sealed bottle, they could have been subjected to high temperatures or some other environmental condition that may have affected their quality. No pharmacy or other health care provided can ever give those drugs to another patient, so they can't take them back.

I suspect that what your doctor wanted to suggest to you, but could not legally do, was that you donate them to another HCV patient who was unable to afford treatment. I'm not saying that's what you should do, but my guess is that was what he was hinting at.

I'd really be curious to know whose fault it is that you got stuck paying for a month's worth of harvoni that you didn't need. Because I would expect them to reimburse me, if I were you. By teh way, when you say $20,000, you mean 20K for the whole course of treatment, right? Not 20 for the one month's worth? Because that would almost defeat the purpose of having insurance in the first place. Sounds like you're really getting hosed here.

[Lynn K]

Just a reminder it is against federal law to sell or even give away a prescription from the patient for who it was prescribed to another person for whom the meds were not prescribed.

You cannot sell or even give away your meds legally they can only be turned in to be destroyed.