Unopened insulin Prescriptions

[Amity Island]

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick question for anyone that can help.

When you pick up your insulin from the pharmacist, are the boxes of pens/cartridges unopened? Should they be sealed and unopened? I feel un-safe using anything from a pharmacy which may have been used by someone else with their needles. I've had all sorts of things from my pharmacy in the past, broken insulin pens, broken vials, returned off insulin, cracked cartridges etc etc.

Thank-you

 

[JMyrtle]

Once any medicines have left the pharmacy, even if you return them unopened that pack cannot be given to another patient and must be destroyed for safety reasons.
I know this because once the surgery gave me preservative free eye drops by mistake and asked me to use them on that occasion because they were very expensive and they would have to throw them away if I brought them back even though they were unopened and still in their carrier bag.

 

[Northerner]

I've never experienced receiving an opened box of insulin cartridges - like you I would be unhappy using it. It's always confused me why they seal the bags with your meds in as ideally you should check things before leaving the pharmacy since they otherwise have to throw returned items away, as @JMyrtle says

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Cartridges were always in those little sealed foil-top compartments for me

Vials should have the plastic cover over the top.

I think my lot check the boxes rather than open them, but for tablets I know they sometimes dispense half boxes so later combine the leftovers. These are sealed in their little foil packets too though.

Is there a different pharmacy you can switch to?

 

[Carolg]

I usually check in bag before leaving pharmacy. Recently had yaltoformin changed back to glucophage but still yaltoformin. Hadn’t checked so had to go back. Pharmacist was cross but I stood my ground- not my mistake.

 

[rebrascora]

I would be wary of that pharmacy as it sounds like they may be cutting corners to save/make money.
I was prescribed antibiotics by my surgery the other day for a suspected UTI which ended up testing negative. I offered to take them back because I had not opened them but they also said that once they leave the surgery, they cannot use them for anyone else and to hang onto them in case I need them in the future as they have a long shelf life. My pharmacy is in the practice and run by the surgery, so there is no other private interest.

 

[Lilian]

It is advised, and CCG's have been trying to get the message out to as many people as possible, to look at your medicines before you leave the chemists. If you find anything that you need to give back you can do so then and it can be used again. Once you have left the shop it cannot. I refuse to take any medicines that look as if they are not as originally packaged.