Donation of medicines to the Health Centre

The medicine cabinet of the Health Centre really needs antibiotics and basic medicines.

Every year we distribute almost 60,000 packets of medicines donated by private citizens and companies. The Medicine Distribution Service needs various types of drugs but we are more lacking in some specific areas than others and so we hope that these may be donated by pharmaceutical companies.

Insulin

There is a great need for insulin at the moment, but apart from a few samples generously provided by our volunteer doctors we do not have a donor. Many patients depend on both short-acting and long-acting insulin and so both types are needed. Nowadays, a packet of insulin (5 pens) costs €70/80 on average, an enormous expense that heavily impacts on the accounts of the OSF Health Centre.

Antibiotics

These drugs are highly sought-after in all departments, particularly in the dental clinic, which has lots of patients.

Psychiatric drugs

Numerous volunteer psychiatric doctors receive patients in our Health Centre and prescribe these kinds of drugs. 95% of these medicines prescribed at OSF are purchased because we do not receive any donations from companies. They are not very expensive because there are generic equivalents but it would be a great help if someone were to donate them. These drugs belong to band C, they are not provided by the Italian National Health Service, so many Italian patients also request them from the OSF Distribution Service.

Anti-inflammatory drugs

We receive lots of prescriptions, also from outside OSF, for anti-inflammatory drugs. As these cannot be prescribed on the national health service, they are quite expensive for people in need who therefore often come to us for them. We receive lots of packets following the collection days promoted by Banco Farmaceutico, but during the rest of the year they are in short supply and we have to buy them.

Anti-inflammatory creams

These are mostly requested by our older patients.
Many citizens donate them but bring open tubes, which we cannot give to our patients.

Proton-pump inhibitors

We also have a great need for proton-pump inhibitors which help protect the stomach from the damage that can be caused by various illnesses or other medications.

Mouthwash

We do not receive any donations of mouthwash, which is much needed given that the dental clinic is one of the busiest departments of the OSF Health Centre.

Skincare medicines

We use these creams and gels to treat and medicate lesions and damaged skin on a daily basis, particularly among people with no fixed abode.

Vitamin complexes

These are prescribed where necessary to people with vitamin deficiencies, often the result of unbalanced diets. They are also very important for Italian patients who cannot afford to buy them.