How to Donate Old Blood Glucose Monitors

A blood glucose monitor is an essential tool for a diabetic. It is used to measure the amount of glucose in the blood, to ensure that it stays in a safe range. If you no longer need your blood glucose monitor, you can donate it. Four options follow.

Contact the American Diabetes Association or the Red Cross. They will either accept the old blood glucose monitor or direct you somewhere locally that will take it. Clean and sanitize the device before you send it in.

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Go to a local community medical center. These clinics are often in need of medical equipment and may take the blood glucose monitor.

Send the blood glucose monitor along on a medical mission trip. Many churches organize missions to bring better medical care to third-world countries. A church may accept your blood glucose monitor to bring along.

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Check with a nursing home or a home health-care agency. If a patient's insurance does not cover the cost of a monitor, the patient could benefit from the donation.

Tips

If you have extra blood glucose test strips, you can donate these too. The way the monitor functions is that blood is applied to the strip and then placed inside of the device. After a few seconds, a reading will tell you the amount of glucose detected.

Warnings

Some places may not take your blood glucose monitor because of the risk of contamination, since the product has had contact with your blood. If an organization will not take the monitor, hold onto it until a family member or friend needs it.