Arrêt de la valorisation humanitaire des médicaments non utilisés : enjeux et perspectives

Since the 1970s, drugs unused by French households have been collected for humanitarian aid. In 1993, the Cyclamed^® system was created by pharmacists in order to manage and collect unused drugs. However, experience has shown that in developing countries unused drugs caused more problems than they solved, including: poorly adapted to the needs of the population, poor quality of the collected medicines, interferences with local pharmaceutical policies, misappropriation… As recommended by the World Health Organisation, most of the humanitarian organizations stopped unused drug donations. In France this practice has been forbidden since the 1st of January 2009. Associations that still desire to send unused drugs to developing countries must develop other approaches, such as essential generic medicines or emergency health kits.     

Mise en œuvre de procédures d’hygiène et de contrôles physiques et microbiologiques d’environnement au sein d’une unité de radiopharmacie

Preparation of radiopharmaceuticals for injection involves compliance with the regulations for pharmaceutical drugs and radionuclides. The microbiological quality must be ensured, radiation exposure limited, and radioactive contamination of personnel and the environment prevented. Based on work concerning compliance and in accordance with changes in recent regulations, the facilities of the radiopharmacy department of the Louis Mourier Hospital have been optimized. Physical and microbiological controls of equipment and facilities have been implemented to monitor workstations and their environment with respect to microbiological quality. Three hygiene guidelines have also been implemented: improving hygiene practices, personal clothing, practical training on hygiene and its evaluation.