How to Ensure Medicines are Kept at the Right Temperatures

Maintaining the correct storage temperature for medicines is critical for ensuring their efficacy, safety, and shelf life. Incorrect storage can degrade medications, leading to reduced effectiveness or harmful effects on patients

Here are some key tips to help department managers ensure medicines are stored at the right temperatures:

 

1. Use Reliable Refrigeration and Monitoring Equipment

• Invest in high-quality refrigeration units specifically designed for medical or pharmacy use. These units are designed to maintain more stable temperatures within the 2°C and 8°C range than standard home refrigeration units.
• Choose a unit with built-in temperature monitoring systems and alarms that notify staff of any temperature deviations.
• Use data loggers or digital thermometers to continuously monitor the temperature inside refrigerators and ambient storage areas. Many modern systems allow remote access to data and send automatic alerts if temperatures go out of range, enabling quick corrective action.
• Ensure key equipment are calibrated on a regular basis depending on manufacturer recommendation.

 

2. Maintain Proper Temperature Ranges

• Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for storage conditions, as some drugs may need freezing, while others should be kept at room temperature.
• As a guide, room (or ambient) temperature is typically kept between 15°C to 25°C, whilst refrigerated (or cold-chain) medicines should be kept between 2°C and 8°C.
• Regularly check the temperature of all storage units. One key advice is to incorporate temperature checks into your daily site/ room check log.
• Pay particular attention to extreme changes in the weather and monitor temperatures more frequently. Heatwaves or cold snaps can cause unintentional spikes or dips in room (ambient) temperatures. Frequent monitoring can help detect any potential or occurring temperature excursions and reduce the impact these excursions will have on the products.
• Maintain a temperature log that staff can review and which provides an auditable trail.

 

3. Plan for Power Outages

• Power failures can compromise temperature-sensitive medicines.
• Have a contingency plan in place, such as backup generators, to keep refrigerators running during an outage.
• Equip refrigerators with cold packs or thermal bags that can maintain the required temperature temporarily if power is lost.
• Staff should also be trained on the emergency protocol to follow during power failures, ensuring that medication is not left at unsafe temperatures for extended periods.

 

4. Train Your Staff

• Staff training is essential in maintaining proper temperature control.
• Ensure that all relevant personnel understand how to monitor temperatures, what to do in case of deviations, and the consequences of improper storage.
• Ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) for medicine storage and temperature monitoring is in place and part of the personnel induction process.
• Conduct regular audits to ensure temperature checks are being done regularly and deviations are being reported and actioned appropriately.

 

By following these tips—investing in reliable equipment, maintaining proper temperature ranges, planning for emergencies, and training staff—clinic managers can ensure that medicines are stored safely and effectively. Proper temperature control is key to safeguarding patient health, meeting regulatory standards, and protecting the clinic’s financial investments in pharmaceuticals.