Research shows that ordering medicines by mail It can reduce costs and help patients comply with prescriptionsSome health care providers are increasingly concerned about the possibility of heat degradation during transport.
Mike Wren, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a primary care physician, said The New York Times Heat exposure and pressure changes inside the aerosol can combine to create a “double whammy” problem. Aerosol drugs are typically designed to be fast-acting and are often used in emergencies. Liquid drugs that are carefully mixed to have precise ratios of ingredients can become less effective due to evaporation, he said.
According to reports, TimesSome mail-order pharmacists assure their customers that the drugs are safe to use as long as there are no visible signs of deterioration. But research shows that: Found Some medications can be damaged by heat, but there’s no outward indication. Mail-order pharmacies said they use special weather-resistant packaging and take precautions when shipping medications that require specific storage temperatures. Times I have taken note.
The United States Pharmacopeia, which sets standards for the storage and transportation of pharmaceuticals, Recommendation Oral medications should be stored at 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit (20-25 degrees Celsius).
2023 study Published in American Pharmaceutical Association Journal It was found that shipped pharmaceutical packages spent more than 68% of their time outside the recommended temperature range. When a heat wave hit the US in 2022, UPS drivers said The New York Times The temperature inside the car rose to 150 degrees (66 degrees Celsius).
This year’s summer in the United States has been particularly hot, with the West Coast and Texas experiencing Eligible Temperatures topped 100 degrees for days and weeks. The East Coast was slightly cooler, but millions of people still suffered. Heat Alert It’s early July and the heat is part of a global trend of global temperature records being repeatedly broken. This relentless heat highlights growing concerns about the safety and effectiveness of mail-order medicines as higher temperatures become the new normal.
