Interesting Psak: Throwing Away Medicine

Among the variety of gmachs that one can find in a religious neighborhood is a medicine gmach. These medicine gmachs carry basic medicines and needs, so that if someone should suddenly run out and not be able to get the pharmacy right away, or if one suddenly needs something during the night, he could get it from the gmach. He might later have to replace the medicine he took, or some gmachs might require seeing a prescription (depending on what is needed). It is also a way people can get expensive medicine for little or no money, as people who only use parts of medicine packages at times donate the remainder to these gmachs for the benefit of people in need.

I don't think this would ever go over in the United States, as it would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. Yet in Israel it is fairly popular.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky recently went to visit the office of an organization that provides such a service. This organization also collects unused medicines and distributes them to the needy.

During the visit, the director of the organization asked Rav Kanievsky if a person is allowed to dispose of unused medicines, since he cannot return them anyway to the pharmacy. According to the report on Kikar, Rav Chaim Kanievsky responded that it is prohibited as bal tashchis to dispose of unused medicines and they must be given over to be distributed to the needy.

When asked for further clarification as to whether this is something that must be done or if it is simply a recommendation, he reportedly repeated that it is bal tashchis and they must be distributed to the needy.