VEND is designed to reduce waste and costs
Posted in News
Rx-info has developed a simple online solution to help reduce the amount of drugs thrown away because they have passed their expiry date.
The launch of VEND – Value from Expiring NHS Drugs – follows analysis conducted by Rx-info that shows that drugs worth at least £7 million are disposed of each year because they have not been prescribed before their expiry date. Overall, we believe that the real cost to the NHS is closer to £30m to £35m – and that’s before the costs of disposal are taken into account.
VEND allows hospital pharmacies to list drugs they no longer require for sale and to suggest a price. They are then matched up with pharmacies in other Trusts who will be able to use the drugs before their expiry date.
Consequently, the vendor recoups some of the costs of drugs that would otherwise be wasted, and avoids disposal costs, and the buyer gets in-date drugs they need at a reduced cost. The actual transaction takes place on a trust-to-trust basis, in accordance with MHRA guidance.
Beta-testing of the software produced some remarkably encouraging results: the first transaction recouped one trust £11,000.
For more information on VEND, please contact [email protected] or call 01392 460263.