Pennsylvania lawmaker to introduce legislation addressing failed cancer drug repository program
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pennsylvania lawmaker plans to introduce legislation addressing the state's failed cancer drug repository program.
Tens of thousands of dollars worth of unused cancer drugs are going to waste in Pennsylvania, instead of going to people who need them.
If you're searching for words to describe our state's drug repository program, state Rep. Bryan Cutler, the House Republican leader, would say "unworkable, inaccessible and underutilized."
That's why he plans to introduce legislation to expand the program in two ways. First, he wants to allow regular people to donate to it. Second, people can donate both cancer and prescription drugs as long as they're unused and unexpired.
"Our bill, basically replace the word cancer with prescription. So, by default, it opened up what would be available," he said.
KDKA-TV talked to him about a KDKA Investigation into the state's cancer drug repository program, which currently exists in name only. Within the same week of the story airing, Cutler decided to revisit the legislation he first introduced back in 2018.
"I'm used to the legislative process being very slow," Cutler said. "But it's something that I think is worthwhile and why we gotta keep pushing for it."
He hopes the proposed expansion will impact more people and catch more people's attention.
"The one thing that we have to do is advertise it," Cutler said. "And I think that we have to increase that access so that people are even aware of it."
It is new that encourages Kiah Williams, a Philadelphia native and co-founder of Sirum. It's a non-profit tech company that saves medicines and is partnering with states looking to get their repository programs up and running.
"This is a win-win-win," Williams said. "Where we're allowing people to donate medications, reducing waste, we're enabling people to get medications they need. And we're improving health outcomes, which ultimately are good for society."
Williams wants to see her home state figure this out.
"Sirum is ready, willing, and able, and we are waiting for the phone call to come take our work to the great state of Pennsylvania and to make a drug repository program happen," Williams said.
The Pennsylvania Department of State, the entity that oversees the program, said it plans to begin to outreach to pharmacies in the coming weeks to try and expand this program. A spokesperson had no comment on Cutler's pending legislation.