Blogs

Storing medications at the correct temperature is vital to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Pharmacies must use reliable refrigeration equipment, maintain regular temperature monitoring, and follow clear procedures to protect both their inventory and patient health.

This blog will cover the essential equipment, monitoring practices, and procedures needed to safeguard pharmaceutical inventory and uphold high standards of care.

Equipment and monitoring:

A pharmacy must be constructed and maintained such that all pharmaceuticals are stored safely and appropriately. This necessitates the use of appropriate facilities, procedures, and equipment like pharmacy refrigerators for temperature-appropriate storage in order to ensure the integrity of the pharmacy's inventory, and thereby the health, safety, and well-being of patients. 

·        Pharmacy refrigerator equipment must be appropriate for its purpose and well-maintained.

·        Preventative maintenance, calibration, and other related records should be retained.

Temperature monitoring and recording are crucial for ensuring that products are stored at the prescribed temperature range.

·        The Product Monograph and label for a Health Canada-approved drug product provide the recommended storage conditions for each dose type. These should be stored in a vaccine refrigerator if the label says “store in cool and dry condition”

·        Designated Managers and Hospital Pharmacy Administrators should decide whether manual or automated tracking is best suited to their needs. Pharmacool’s refrigerator provides both these options. 

·        Temperatures must be checked often. For manual recording, the lowest and maximum temperatures should be taken twice a day.

·        A temperature monitoring device that alerts you when temperatures exceed the acceptable range is a critical component of effective temperature monitoring. Pharmacool’s Pharmacy refrigerator are equipped with alarm system to alert the pharmacist and other people.

·        Clear procedures should define the steps to take during a cold chain break, which may include pharmaceutical stability testing. 

·        Medication integrity must be examined and validated to ensure that patients do not receive potentially sub-potent products.

Maintaining the correct storage conditions for medications is not just a regulatory obligation—it’s a critical aspect of patient safety and pharmacy excellence. With the right equipment, proactive monitoring, and clear procedures, pharmacies can confidently protect the integrity of their inventory.

Looking to upgrade your pharmacy’s cold storage system? Pharmacool’s pharmacy refrigerators offer reliable temperature control, built-in alarms, and flexible monitoring options—both manual and automated—to meet the needs of modern pharmacies.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you stay compliant and safeguard your medications with confidence.

References:

Protecting the cold chain guideline. OCPInfo.com. (2024, September 25). https://www.ocpinfo.com/regulations-standards/practice-policies-guidelines/cold-chain/#:~:text=A%20pharmacy%20must%20be%20designed,component%20of%20effective%20temperature%20monitoring.