About PQMD

PQMD History

For decades the collaborations between healthcare firms that donate medical products and the humanitarian agencies that deliver and distribute these products have served to help meet important healthcare needs of vulnerable populations around the world.

In fact, appropriate, high quality medical product donations continue to help humanitarian agencies in their efforts to provide disaster relief, build basic healthcare infrastructures, and combat specific diseases.

However, in the early 1990s, reports of inappropriate medical product donations began to surface. Countries already burdened by diseases, disasters, or weak healthcare systems were sent donations of expired medicines and other unneeded drugs. Unannounced deliveries and inadequately packaged or labeled donations added to the problems.

In 1996 the World Health Organization (WHO) published Interagency Guidelines intended to ensure future donations would be both appropriate and effective. However, the guidelines raised several concerns among relief and humanitarian agencies and healthcare firms. Foremost was the concern that much needed medical donations might either be reduced or discouraged. Additionally, many asked that the benefits of donations be more fully elaborated upon in future editions of the Guidelines.

It was against this backdrop that an informal alliance of private voluntary agencies and pharmaceutical and medical device companies was formed in 1996 and formally incorporated in 1999 as the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD). Its membership shared a common commitment to address these concerns and advance effective and appropriate medical donations.

Since then, PQMD has become a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and holds the distinction of being the first U.S. organization to contribute to and endorse the revised 1999 WHO Interagency Guidelines on Drug Donations. Also, PQMD sponsored the first systematic assessment of U.S. pharmaceutical donations conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health. This study outlined policy recommendations to improve the donation process.

Today PQMD member organizations are strongly committed to raising medical donation standards, promoting effective donation practices, and informing policy makers and the general public on the donation process.

Leadership

PQMD Chairperson

Jennifer Farrington, Director of Social Investing, BD

Jennifer Farrington leads BD’s international, national and local corporate social investing programs in her role as Director of Social Investing.  She provides oversight to BD’s product donations and employee matching gifts programs as well as workplace giving activities, volunteer service projects and community outreach engagements.  In addition, Ms. Farrington supports select Company sponsorships and cause-related marketing activities, and contributes to the community relations and public affairs functions.

Active within the corporate philanthropy community, Ms. Farrington currently serves as Chairman of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD) and has also chaired PQMD’s Membership and Program Committees.  A past board member of the Association of Corporate Contribution Professionals (ACCP), she currently serves on the Alumni Association Board of Governors for Fairleigh Dickinson University and on advisory panels for the American Red Cross, the New Jersey AIDS Partnership and the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Foundation.  She has been recognized by several community organizations for her leadership role in developing, executing and managing innovative community programs at BD.

Ms. Farrington holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Arts in corporate and organizational communications from Farleigh Dickinson University.  She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, with a focus on marketing.

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

PQMD Executive Director

Lori Warrens

Ms. Warrens is a strategic-minded executive with a respected career inspiring non-profit leaders, their partners and workforces to translate vision into groundbreaking programs.  Ms. Warrens is best known for developing 2-1-1, an easy to remember telephone number that connects people across North America with important human services and volunteer opportunities in their community.

Ms. Warrens began her non-profit career after leaving the banking industry to work for the Credit Union National Association.  While at CUNA she worked to ensure that credit unions were able to provide high quality financial products to their members and represented CUNA on national financial services committees.  She next moved to the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta where she held a number of positions including Chief Operating Officer.  While at United Way her accomplishments included developing 2-1-1 and leading the city’s non-profit planning activities to ensure that vulnerable citizens retained access to critical services during the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Ms. Warrens served as the Executive Director of the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), the international association for community help lines and 2-1-1 centers.  While at AIRS she expanded their membership, education programs and national profile.  She also helped develop the Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN), an unprecedented alliance between the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, AIRS and others to improve access to disaster services.  She left AIRS to serve as a consultant to state and national projects dedicated to helping communities develop disaster resilience through better planning and shared information systems. 

Ms. Warrens has a BA, American Institutions from the University of Wisconsin - Madison where she followed an independent study program that focused on the role of trade associations in the relationship between the business and public sectors.  She completed the three year United Way/Casey Family Strengthening Fellowship at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.

PQMD Executive Committee
Chair -  Jennifer Farrington, BD
Vice Chair -  Pat Bacuros, Project HOPE
Treasurer/Secretary -  Tamara Russell, Eli Lilly
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer -  Randy Weiss, AmeriCares
NGO Member At Large -  Jackie Abbott, Mercy Ships
Corp Member At Large - 
Immediate Past Chair -  Myron Aldrink, Medical Teams International
Standards Chair  -  Jodi Allison, MAP International.
Emergency Committee Chair -  Randy Weiss, AmeriCares
Membership Chair -  Tom Roane, National Cancer Coalition
Program Chair -  Jennifer Mounsey, World Vision
Research Chair  -  Suki McClatchey, Abbott
Nominating Chair -  Myron Aldrink, Medical Teams International
Communications Chair -  Ginny Stehle, Heart to Heart International

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Our Members

Abbott
Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
AmeriCares
AstraZeneca
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
BD
Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
Catholic Medical Mission Board
Direct Relief International
Eli Lilly and Company
GlaxoSmithKline
Heart to Heart International
Henry Schein, Inc.
Hospira, Inc.
International Health Partners, UK
IMA World Health
International Medical Corps
Johnson & Johnson
MAP International
Medical Teams International
Medisend International
Merck & Co., Inc.
Mercy Ships
National Cancer Coalition
Pfizer, Inc.
Project HOPE
Sanofi-aventis US
Takeda Pharamceuticals
Tulipe
U.S. Fund for UNICEF
World Vision, Inc.

Visit the Member Page here.

Biennial Report

Click here to download the PQMD Biennial Report

Membership Information

Interested in membership in PQMD? Please contact our Executive Director, Lori Warrens.