In principle pharmacies in Belgium will not take back sold medicines or reimburse customers, even if the packaging is still unopened and the medicines have not expired. That is the official line from the Flemish pharmacists' association. However, there are a number of exceptions to this rule. It is ultimately up to the individual pharmacist to decide whether or not to reimburse you.
Listener Rosianne Bovendaerde told VRT what she witnessed: "I was at the pharmacist when an elderly gent came in with medication that he no longer needed. The pharmacist reimbursed him in full. “Is that medication then resold to other customers? she wondered “And is that actually allowed?".
Ann Callens tells a different story. After her husband's eye operation, she had an unopened box of medication left over. She asked at the pharmacy if she could return the box. "The pharmacist refused, even though the box was unopened and still good until 2025. It cost me 36 euros. How is that possible?"
In one case, the patient does get his money back, in the other he does not. How does it work? This is the general rule: sold is sold.
Safeguards
According to Hendrik De Rocker of the Pharmacists' Association, the principle is clear: sold medicines are generally not taken back by the pharmacy, even if they are unopened. "Storage conditions and times are essential for the safety and quality of medication. Pharmacists cannot always guarantee that medication, once sold, will be stored in the right conditions by the patient."
In the case of listener Ann, the pharmacy simply followed the rules. Nevertheless, the man in Rosianne's example did get his money back. Was the pharmacist at fault here? "No, returning and reimbursing medication can be an option. But there are a number of conditions that have to be met," Hendrik De Rocker explains. "If a box has to be returned within 10 days for some reason and the sale has not yet been reported to the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV), the status of the drug in the database can still be adjusted. In such cases, the pharmacy may well take back the box and refund it, after which it can be included in the stock again."
But that is not the only condition. In addition to the packaging not being opened, storage temperature must also have been respected. "So, within 10 days, unopened and under the correct storage conditions, the pharmacist can consider a return. But that is an individual assessment by the pharmacy, and to be clear, not the patient’s right."
Every medicine is tracked
Every medicine can be tracked from production to the patient. "Thanks to unique 2D barcodes that are mandatory on all medicines in Europe, the origin of each box can be traced. The code is part of the "Falsified Medicines Directive" and contains a unique number that is linked to a European database. This allows all steps linked to the medication to be followed, from the factory to the pharmacy and finally to the patient."
In addition to this unique code, there must also be a means of checking that the packaging has not been opened, for example a seal. "These safety features ensure that patients do not receive counterfeit or fake medicines from the pharmacy. As soon as a box is sold at a pharmacy, it is deregistered in this database."
What about expired leftovers?
What do you do with leftover expired medication? You must always return expired medication to the pharmacy. Whether the packaging has been opened or not is irrelevant. Leftovers are collected free of charge by pharmacists.
"At all levels – from pharmacy to manufacturer – we work together to process medication like this in a safe way. After collection, the medication is incinerated by the Flemish Public Waste Agency (OVAM)".
"Never pour medicines down the drain or throw them in with the garbage. The chance that it could harm the environment is too great. Antibiotics, for example, must not end up in sewage."