POLICY ON RETURNED MEDICATIONS

RETURNING UNUSED MEDICATIONS

At Gippsland Veterinary Group, your animal's health and safety are our highest priority. We understand that medications may sometimes remain unused, for example if a treatment plan changes or a beloved pet passes away.

Unfortunately, once a medication has left our clinic, we cannot accept it back for reuse. 

Under Victorian law, clients who have been dispensed medications for their animals are legally allowed to possess them for that specific treatment purpose.

However, once a medication is returned to the clinic, it breaks the legal chain of possession because;

1. It is no longer tied to the original authorised treatment purpose
2. It may not have been stored under the secure conditions required for clinic stock
3. There is no regulatory mechanism to legally reclassify it as usable clinic stock

Effectively, even though the law allows you to have the medication for your animal, it cannot be safely or legally reused for another patient.

For these reasons, returned medications cannot be reused, even if they appear unopened or unused.

This policy helps protect animal welfare and ensures our compliance with legal and professional obligations.

EXCEPTIONS

We will accept returned medications if:

1.  The medication was incorrectly dispensed (wrong drug, dose, or label)
2.  The medication is damaged, contaminated, or defective

In these circumstances, we will arrange a replacement or refund as appropriate.

SAFE DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR OTHER SITUATIONS

If your medication does not fall under the exceptions above, please dispose of it safely by:

· Following any disposal instructions provided with the medication

· Taking it to a pharmacy participating in the National Return and Disposal of Unwanted Medicines (RUM/NatRUM) program

· Using an approved service such as ChemClear, which safely collects and disposes of veterinary and agricultural chemicals, including some medications

Please do not flush medications down toilets or sinks, or dispose of them in household rubbish unless specifically advised.

WHY THIS MATTERS

· Returning medications for reuse could be unsafe for animals or humans

· Following legal and professional requirements keeps our veterinary practice compliant, safe, and responsible

We appreciate your understanding of our position.

REFERENCES

· Victorian Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017 (relevant sections: 7, 74, 75)

· Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria - Guideline 14: Supply and Use of Veterinary Medications