Ohio Pharmacy Diverts $9 Million in Waste to Feed a Statewide Care Network

Rusty Curington describes a dilemma that haunts many families in the United States: choosing between an elderly relative’s medication and a child’s tuition. As vice president of pharmacy at the St. Vincent de Paul charitable pharmacy in Cincinnati, Curington sees these financial pressures firsthand. The organization has filled more than one million prescriptions without charging a cent since it opened two decades ago. Despite this volume, the demand for free medication has not decreased.

The solution to this persistent need began with a local problem. Long-term care facilities frequently discard unexpired medications when patients recover or pass away. Curington noted that this creates a dual issue of excessive waste and insufficient supply. To address this, the pharmacy converted a former thrift store into a repository. Behind the walk-up counter, clothing racks were replaced with shelves holding approximately $9 million worth of donated drugs from nursing homes and private individuals.

Jenelle Hoseus, CEO of the Charitable Healthcare Network, explained that the initiative started as a pilot in Cincinnati but has expanded. The warehouse now functions as a sharing system for free clinics across the state, including in Dayton, Canton, and Toledo. Organizations can access an online portal once a month to view available inventory and place orders for their patients. This system connects the surplus of discarded medications with the clinics that require them most.

The process involves strict quality control before distribution. Pharmacists inspect each donation to verify that the medication has not been tampered with or exposed to moisture. Technicians then sort the pills by expiration date. The majority of the distributed drugs manage chronic conditions, though the network also provides urgent items such as blood thinners, inhalers, and insulin. Hoseus stated that providing these basics reduces the need for costly emergency room visits and hospital stays.

Currently, about one-fifth of the nearly 60 free clinics in the network participate in the program. Workforce capacity remains a barrier, as the operation relies heavily on volunteers. Hoseus said the network is seeking grants to hire more pharmacists who can serve as distribution sites in other parts of the state. Curington hopes to expand further as changes to Medicaid threaten to leave more Ohioans without insurance coverage.

The impact of medication access is personal for many in the community. Nicole Lowe, a nurse in Dayton, experienced this challenge directly. After leaving a full-time position to care for her aging mother, she switched to a flexible job without health insurance. She could no longer afford her $700 monthly diabetes medication. Through the resource-sharing program, her local clinic now provides the drug at no cost.

Lowe explained that maintaining her blood sugar levels reduces the risk of comorbidities such as heart disease and kidney failure. For Curington, the program is a practical response to a systemic issue. He argued that when people lack medication, they cannot work, they retire early, or their health deteriorates. The pharmacy continues to process donations and distribute supplies to the clinics that depend on them.