How Much Medicine Goes to Waste?

Just 2% of medicines ordered by Noble’s Hospital go to waste, the Health Minister has said.

Lawrie Hooper was questioned on the matter by John Wannenburgh (Douglas North).

Mr Wannenburgh asked what the total value is of unused medication that has gone out of date since 2020; and whether it has been destroyed.

The minister said: ‘Nobles Pharmacy keeps records of drugs destroyed by the department when not used (including out of date drugs and drugs ordered for specific patients, usually cancer treatments, who on occasion may not be well enough to receive the treatment). These patient specific items are not separated from general stock items.’

He also released figures which show that since 2020, Noble’s has spent £38.4m on drugs, of which £770,800 has been wasted, which equates to about 2%.

However, this doesn’t figure doesn’t include drugs returned to community pharmacies, which, Mr Hooper said ‘destroy unused medications if patients return them (out of date or no longer required), but they don’t cost this or submit information to Manx Care’.

In essence, this amounts to no-one really knows what the value of drugs wasted are in the community. This is further complicated by whether or not the people collecting prescription pay for them and even how much they pay.