How RemediChain works:
1. Tennessee law allows anyone in the United States to legally donate unused medication in good condition.
Donations must be unopened, unexpired, and in the original manufacturer packaging. No controlled substances, refrigerated items, or REMS drugs.
2. RemediChain’s inventory of donated medication is safe.
Every donation is inspected by a licensed pharmacist prior to being logged into inventory. Only unopened, unexpired drugs in good condition are accepted. Drugs that do not meet RemediChain’s standards are appropriately destroyed.
3. Qualifying patients can receive their medication fast.
We’ll confirm each patient’s eligibility based on their specific needs and their resident state’s prescription donation and reuse laws. In most states and with a valid prescription, we can send medication out as quickly as the same day.
4. Partnering with our office helps streamline the process for multiple patients and/or prescriptions.
Contact us to discuss your patients’ needs. Providers will work directly with a dedicated staff member to:
- Reduce the number of individual medication shipments;
- Access co-branded materials to educate patients and staff about Medication Rescue;
- Quickly, efficiently check medication inventory and qualifications for patients in need.
Provider FAQs
How can my patients receive medication from RemediChain?
If your patients are struggling to afford necessary medication, start by filling out this form. Patients can fill it out for themselves, but providers’ offices often have much of the necessary information available, especially if the patient is working with a navigator or social worker already. The form asks a few questions about the patient’s financial status and prescription needs. Once the form is submitted, someone from our team will reach out within one business day to discuss the patient’s needs.
If the patient qualifies for our program and we have the necessary medication in our inventory, we will need a prescription – either from the physician or transferred from another pharmacy – to begin dispensing it. We will then continue to send the medication for as long as the patient needs it and as long as we have it.
What if I have multiple patients in need of prescription assistance?
We’d love to partner directly with your office to streamline assistance for your patients. Whether they all need the same medications or you have a dozen different prescriptions, RemediChain can work directly with your staff to reduce the number of individual shipments, forms or inventory checks.
Contact us to get started today.
Which patients should I refer for prescription assistance?
Prescription assistance is available to patients who:
- Reside in a U.S. state that allows for medication reuse (most states do – check yours here)
- Require a prescription that can be legally and safely rescued and added into our inventory (controlled substances, birth control and refrigerated medications are not available)
- Cannot afford their medication (uninsured, high co-pay, etc.)
Insurance status does not matter. In fact, 87% of RemediChain patients have health coverage, but they struggle with high co-pays, their plan does not cover the drug(s) they need, they experience gaps while awaiting prior authorization, and more.
If you have questions about a specific patient’s case or medication needs, please contact us.
Do patients need a prescription to get meds from RemediChain?
Yes, a valid prescription is required to access medication assistance from RemediChain. Prescriptions can be sent to our pharmacy by the physician’s office or transferred from another pharmacy, if refills are available.
If you have multiple patients in need of prescription assistance, this process can be easily streamlined in partnership with our staff. Please contact us to get started.
Is it legal to donate and reuse prescription drugs?
Yes! Our facility is located in Tennessee, which allows us to legally accept donations of unopened, unexpired medications in good condition from anyone in the United States. All donated prescriptions are shipped directly to our pharmacy in Memphis.
Donation first became legal in 2018 with the establishment of Tennessee’s Prescription Drug Repository Program. It expanded in 2024 under the Kevin Clauson Drug Donation Act.
Dispensing donated medications depends on the laws of the state where the patient resides. We track those laws here, and our staff is well-versed in the specifics of each. If you have questions about your state or your patient’s qualifications, please contact us.
Are insured patients eligible for prescription assistance?
Yes! Insurance status has no bearing on a patient’s ability to access prescription assistance through RemediChain. In fact, 87% of our patients have some form of health coverage, but they struggle to cover their co-pay or coinsurance portion; their plan won’t cover the specific drug or drug type they need; they need to bridge a gap while awaiting a prior authorization; or one of many other barriers.
Some insurance plans may provide support for prescriptions dispensed from RemediChain. Patients should include their insurance information on the patient registration form. Either way, patients never pay out of pocket to access medication from RemediChain.
Is there a cost to patients who receive medication?
No. Patients never pay out-of-pocket for medications they receive from RemediChain.
What types of medication do you have available for patients?
RemediChain rescues a variety of unused medications in accordance with Tennessee law and in line with our pharmacy’s safety protocols, from costly specialty medications like oral chemotherapy to necessary maintenance prescriptions like anti-coagulants.
Our inventory changes daily as we receive new shipments of donated medication from across the United States. The best way to find out if we can meet your needs is by filling out this form. Within one business day, we’ll check our inventory and contact you to discuss your qualifications and specific prescription needs.
If you have multiple patients in need of prescription assistance, please contact us to help streamline the process.
How quickly can patients access prescription assistance from RemediChain?
All patient registration forms (medication requests) receive a response within one business day.
If the necessary medication is available in our inventory, RemediChain can have it sent out as soon as the same day we receive a valid prescription.
If you have multiple patients in need of prescription assistance, please contact us to help streamline the process.
Can clinics donate surplus medication?
Absolutely.
Unopened medication is often available at no fault of the patients or providers. The most common reasons are due to issues like negative side effects, a necessary change in therapy, or patient mortality. Clinics may also have surplus medication samples ideal for donation.
Providers have a unique opportunity to direct unopened medication for donation anytime there is a necessary change in therapy.
If you have a variety of unopened prescriptions available, please contact us to help streamline the donation process.
For individual medication donations, the process is simple. Click to Donate Meds, fill out the form, and let us know what medication you or your patients have. Our form will automatically filter for medication we can accept based on a variety of criteria.
If the medication is eligible for donation, you’ll get a prepaid shipping label so you can mail them to RemediChain at no cost to you.
If we cannot take your medication, we’ll advise you on where you can safely dispose of it.
If you have any questions about a submitted form, please contact us and include the time of your submission and the name of the medication so we can accurately review the form in question.
What types of medication do you accept from donors?
RemediChain accepts a variety of medications in accordance with Tennessee law and in line with our pharmacy’s safety protocols. Medications must be:
- unexpired (with at least six months until the expiration date)
- sealed in the original manufacturer’s packaging
- in an approved dosage form (which currently includes tablets, capsules and inhalers)
We cannot accept controlled substances, birth control, or medications that require special handling (such as refrigeration).
Most of the medications given to RemediChain are high-value medications (specialty and otherwise) that donors want to share with another patient in need. Our inventory includes everything from costly oral chemotherapy medications to necessary daily medications like anti-coagulants and more.
If you or your patients have unopened prescription medication to donate, start by filling out this form, which will automatically filter for donation eligibility.
How does a patient qualify to receive medication from RemediChain?
Qualification depends on the availability of the specific prescription drugs needed, and the patient’s resident state laws over prescription donation programs. All patients must reside in the United States.
Dispensing donated prescriptions to patients is legal in most states, and laws are changing to be more favorable all the time. Click here to view a map of states with existing prescription reuse laws. Contact us if you have questions about your specific location.
What states allow patients to receive donated prescriptions?
Dispensing donated prescriptions to patients is legal in most states, and laws are changing to be more favorable all the time. Click here to view a map of states with existing prescription reuse laws. Contact us if you have questions about your specific location.
Is RemediChain a nonprofit?
Yes! We’re in it for the patients, not the profits. RemediChain is organized as a program of our parent nonprofit, Good Shepherd Medication Management (also known as Good Shepherd Health). Click here to access Good Shepherd’s tax exempt organization page on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service website.
How is RemediChain funded?
RemediChain is a program of our parent nonprofit, Good Shepherd Medication Management (also known as Good Shepherd Health). Our funding comes from a mix of private donations, grants and other support.
Our partnership can be the remedy.
Go to Need Meds to apply for prescription assistance for your patients or to Donate Meds to help us complete the chain.