Refrigerated storage is a vital component of the pharmaceutical industry.
The cold chain process needs to be accurate, hygienic and consistent. Each medicine and product requires different temperatures and procedures to ensure their quality is not compromised. In this article, we explain the best practices to follow and things to bear in mind when refrigerating medicines.
Medicine fridge temperature checklist
Design
When using fridges to store your medicine, you must be sure that the piece of equipment was specially designed for this purpose. Domestic refrigerators and other non-specialised fridge units are not prepared to deal with the needs of these highly-sensitive products.
Size
The temperature of your fridge can be affected by the amount of stock you put inside. It is important to spend time researching and checking data to choose the right medical fridge solution for your business. Pharmaceutical cold stores work by circulating air within the unit. Not leaving the appropriate space for this will have a negative impact on the temperature and how you control it.
Usage
To make sure the temperature stays at the correct levels without incurring any risks or breaking any legalities, you should use the units to store medicines only.
There are different medication fridge solutions by temperature. You can choose the right unit based on the specific needs of your stock.
These are the different solutions that we offer at CRS Pharma Solutions:
Up to 60ºC
5 – 40ºC
0 – 4ºC
Ultra low -70ºC
Ambient 2-8ºC
If you are unsure of any specifications in regards to your products, you can always check EMC to find useful information to store medicines safely under the right temperature.
Consistency
Many medicines require storage at an ambient temperature between 2 and 8ºC. Some products can be irreversibly damaged by brief periods at sub-zero temperatures, so appropriate monitoring of the temperature is essential.
You should check the temperature daily to ensure that there are no disruptions. Cold stores specifically designed for the pharmaceutical industry are equipped with temperature mapping settings that allow you to record temperatures and identify any potential issues before it is too late.
Service
In order to regulate your medicine fridge temperature correctly, you should make sure the equipment is being serviced regularly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This will prevent unwanted temperature fluctuations that can damage the stock and jeopardise the quality and effectiveness of your medicines.
If you need help finding the cold storage that helps you control the temperature of your medicines efficiently, talk to one of our experienced staff and get your free, no-obligation quote 1890 929 824.
