The primary bill sponsors, Representatives Brown and Sirota, introduced Senate Bill 25-289 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill expands drug redistribution efforts by creating the Colorado Drug Donation Program in the Department of Regulatory Agencies to facilitate the donation and redistribution of unused medicine to patients who are indigent, uninsured, or underinsured. Under the program, a donor and individual donor is defined as any entity or person legally authorized to possess medicine and a donation recipient includes a wholesaler, distributor, third-party logistics provider, repackager, hospital, pharmacy, clinic, health-care provider, or prescriber's office. The bill also establishes record-keeping requirements for donated medicines, types of medicines that may be donated, storage and disposal of donated medicines, and the process for re-dispensing medicine to eligible patients. Finally, the bill creates the Veterinary Drug Donation Program that allows animal owners to donate unused drugs for animals to licensed veterinarians or animal shelters.

A handout was provided to the committee (Attachment H).

Gail deVore, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mai Gross, representing The Chronic Care Collaborative, testified in support of the bill.  Sarah Freilich on behalf of Jessie Shay, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Kelly Harvell, representing SIRUM, testified in support of the bill.  Sarah Werner, representing Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations, was available to answer committee questions.  Dr. George Wang, representing SIRUM, was available to answer committee questions.

Additional written testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment I).

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.

Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.