(WSIL)---Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a new law that would allow unused, sealed medications to be donated to patients in need.
66% percent of all American adults use prescription drugs. But many of those who get prescriptions--end up with more than they need--that would usually end up wasted.
"Before now, they had to go to medical waste, into the trash, into the waterways we were drinking. It wasn't a good situation," said pharmacist Ben Calcaterra.
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On Monday, Governor Pritzker signed a bill, that would allow sealed medicines that have not been tampered with to be donated back to pharmacies for those who cannot afford medications.
"Underinsured and uninsured patients in Illinois, will greatly benefit from having this resource to get the medicine that they need, in an affordable way," said Calcaterra.
One in four patients in the US cannot afford the prescriptions they need to stay healthy--while 700 million dollars in medications eligible to be reused end up destroyed.
"I think our community would benefit greatly from a program like this, and we will be the first to jump in line. To be able to accept these donated medications and try to work out a program to get them into the hands of the people that need them," said Calcaterra.
States like Iowa have already started the program, which the state saves hospitals $600 to $2000 per patient per year.
This bill goes into effect January 1st.
