GRIMES, Iowa — When Nebraska State Sen. Jana Hughes heard from a constituent about concerns over prescription drug waste, she began looking for ways to combat the issue in her state.
Hughes learned of Iowa nonprofit SafeNetRx, based in Grimes, which accepts unused prescription medications to distribute to people in need.
This inspired an idea to partner with SafeNetRx and create a multistate donation program for both Nebraskans and Iowans.
Nebraska currently has a drug take-back program, but no way of accepting drug donations; changes in the law would be needed in order for the partnership to happen.
The bill was brought to a vote in February, earning unanimous approval. After passing out of the legislature in April, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen officially signed the bill into law.
"Nebraska is obviously a very close state. It's very rural, much like Iowa," said Jon Rosmann, CEO of SafeNetRX. There's a lot of similarities between the two states, and it's a very close distance to send medicine to those who need it."
Since 2007, SafeNetRx has distributed to over 141,000 underserved Iowans for little or no cost, who may have inadequate health insurance or can't afford their prescriptions.
"This will be the first statewide partnership or the first multistate drug donation repository. We can start shipping medication to patients in Nebraska who need it on day one," Rosmann added.
The most commonly needed medications from those who utilize SafeNetRx are cholesterol, cardiovascular and diabetic medications, according to pharmacist Kenzie Harder.
"The brand name medications come with hefty co-pays or a high out-of-pocket cost for patients," Harder told Local 5.
The organization collects and distributes their medications with the help of both prescription and monetary donations. For more information on how to donate, you can visit their website.
