Legislation to Increase Access to Affordable Prescription Medicine Signed Into Law

SB25-289 will create a program to safely donate and dispense certain unused medicine

LAFAYETTE, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed into law legislation to increase access to low-cost prescription medicines through the creation of a drug donation program. 

SB25-289, sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, will allow individuals and institutions to safely donate unused medicine to eligible recipients. Recipients can include distributors, pharmacies, clinics, health care providers, and hospitals. They are required to keep records on donors and donated medicine, store donated medicine separately from regular stock, and have it inspected by a licensed pharmacist.

“Every year, the United States spends billions to dispose of unused prescription medicines from nursing homes, assisted living residences, hospices, and jails,” said Cutter. “Additionally, many left-over prescriptions are flushed down the toilet or thrown into the trash, which causes immeasurable harm to our environment and water supply. With this new law, we are creating a program to reduce waste, protect the environment, and help Coloradans access the medication they need.”

In 2021, 9.7 percent of Colorado residents reported being unable to fill their prescription due to cost. Of those, 40 percent said their health condition worsened as a result. Under this new law, patients in need will have access to free and low-cost donated medicine. The program will exclude opioids, scheduled medications, and medicines that require special storage conditions unless storage conditions can be verified. 

The creation of this program, including best practices from other states and safety provisions, has been extensively researched by a task force created by SB22-098.