Tips for Proper Storage of Drugs, Vaccines, and Other Medicines
Medical supplies like enzymes and vaccines have a very restricted shelf life. They necessitate very careful handling and storage to maintain their biological efficacy and viability. Lab refrigerators address these concerns by providing a stable temperature and controlled environment for the storage of a wide range of medical supplies.
Not all drugs and antibiotics require refrigeration. A few examples of these are Amoxicillin, Ceftin, Zithromax, Suprax, etc. All medication bottles contain specific storage instructions pasted on them known as auxiliary labels. These labels must be read carefully by lab personnel, and not assume that all liquid antibiotics need refrigeration. Liquid antibiotics belong to a category of medical supplies that are suspension-based. The drug Biaxin is an example of a suspension-based antibiotic. It loses its medicinal properties when it is refrigerated. Other drugs like Dalacin-C solidify and it becomes very tough to pour them out of the bottle. Some drugs like Cefaclor, Pediazole, Cephalexin and Cefzil can be left unrefrigerated for a twenty-four hour period.
Molecular breakdown can result if these liquid antibiotics are stored between thirty-five to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the typical temperature range setting of most cooling units.
Many other liquid drugs like insulin, drugs prescribed to multiple sclerosis patients, and nitroglycerin utilized for medicinal purposes like vasodilatation also have to be refrigerated. The strength and potency of the drugs can be maintained only if they are stored at certain specified temperatures.
No vaccine, antibiotic or drug must be used later than its expiration date. Additionally, if there are any rare instances of a power interruption, medical supplies that need uninterrupted refrigeration must be disposed of immediately. Under no condition should these ever be dispensed because a lot of these antibiotics and drugs are potential life savers. It would always be a safe bet to wait for the arrival of the next shipment of drugs, so the lab is stocked with fresh medical supplies. It is never worth the risk to presume that all medicines, drugs and antibiotics preserve their native state without the continuous storage in the laboratory refrigerator or freezer.
Vaccines that remain unrefrigerated or which are left in outside at room temperature should not be administered. They should always be stored either to the refrigerator or freezer, based on their specified storage temperatures. Some vaccines necessitate a temperature range of 4 to six degrees Celsius for their activity while others are viable only at 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius). Unrefrigerated and reconstituted vaccines should be thrown out.
Laboratory refrigerators help in the long-term lab storage of all medical supplies. All biologically active and temperature-sensitive substances can be stored for years without any hassle. These refrigerators ensure that the microcidal properties of the antibiotics and the pharmacological properties of the drugs are retained throughout the storage period. It is recommended that only FDA compliant refrigeration systems be bought and installed in the lab.
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October 1, 2011
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Posted by Julian









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