Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by The Health Master
Good storage practice of Medicines at Medical Store
The storage of drugs / medicines and other pharmaceutical products is a very important requirement of Medical Store / Pharmacy.
Appropriate storage of drugs / medicines is very important:
- To make sure that the potency of the drug is maintained.
- To stop deterioration / breakage / degradation.
- To maintain physical integrity of the drug.
- To check the expiry date of drugs
Storage of medicine:
All the drugs / medicines should have stored under proper conditions as mentioned at the labels of the drugs otherwise, drugs / medicines are likely to lose their potency before the particular date of expiry.
Every Medical Store / Pharmacy however large or small, must store and manage its medicine stocks effectively.
There must be a system to make sure the following:
1. Storage of medicines should be secure
2. These should be a clean and proper environment during storage of the drug
3. Proper records of drugs / medicines
4. Effective stock rotation.
5. Proper monitoring of expiry date of medicines
6. Effective fire fighting arrangements
7. Proper arrangements for theft prevention
8. Maintain controlled temperature as per the storage condition of drugs.
9. Protect the drugs / medicine from excessive humidity.
10. Keep medicines faraway from direct sunlight.
11. Protect the drugs / medicine from pests and rodents. Regular rodent/ pest control
Physical location of drugs:
1. Medicines should be easy to locate.
2. It should be easily accessible.
3. Drugs / medicines should be stocked systematically, alphabetically, company wise, generic name wise.
4. Glass bottle should be stores at the lowest rack of the premises to minimize the loss due to breakage.
5. Store medicines preferably in shelves with glass shutters for visibility.
6. Closed shelves prevent drugs from dust, especially where most pharmacies are located along busy roads.
Homoeopathic Medicines:
Homoeopathic medicine should be stocked separately with the label “Homoeopathic medicines”
Ayurvedic Medicines:
Ayurvedic medicine should be stocked separately with the label “Ayurvedic medicines”
Veterinary Drugs:
Veterinary Drugs should be stocked separately with the label “Veterinary drugs, not for human use”
Expiry date drugs:
Expiry date drugs should be stocked separately with the label “Expiry date drugs, not for sale”
Refrigerator:
1. Some medicines need to be stored in refrigerator or stored at cool or cold place.
2. It is important to store such medicines at temperatures mentioned on the label
3. Stock the drugs / medicines in the refrigerator which require the temperature of refrigerator.
4. Do not stock drugs in refrigerator which do not require refrigerator temperature.
5. Vaccines shouldn’t be stored on refrigerator door shelves. Vaccines should be stored on the center shelves of the refrigerator
6. Always maintain a temperature chart for refrigerator.
Temperature at Medical Store:
1. If you are feeling hot, your medicines probably too feel the same
2. It is suggested to install an air-conditioned to maintain the temperature of the Medical Store air-conditioners have the system for setting the temperature as per requirements.
3. It’s ideal to maintain a temperature below 25 C, as most medicines require storage below this temperature.
4. In the absence of an air conditioning, circulating fans could also be used.
Storage conditions:
Cold: Any temperature not exceeding 8°C and usually between 2°C to 8°C. A refrigerator is a cold place in which the temperature is maintained thermostatically between 2°C to 8°C.
Cool: Any temperature between 8°C and 25°C. An article, for which storage in a cool place is directed may alternately, be stored in a refrigerator unless otherwise specified in the individual monograph.
Room Temperature: The temperature prevailing in a working area.
Warm: Any temperature between 30°C and 40°C.
Excessive heat: Any temperature above 40°C.
Light resistance container: A light resistant container protect the medicine from the effect of actinic light by virtue of the specific properties of the material of which it is made.
Well closed container: A well closed container protects the medicine from contamination by extraneous liquid and from loss of the medicines under normal condition of handling, shipment, storage and distribution.
Humidity or moisture control:
1. Moisture or humidity can affect the medicines very badly like tablets, capsules, powders.
2. Capsules become soft, and swell due to moisture
3. Moisture may develop microbes in the premises.
4. So it’s very important control humidity.
5. It is advisable to install hygrometer in the premises to record the humidity.
Don’t:
1. Storage of cartons of drugs on the ground should be avoided as it can be damaged by moisture
2. Consumable products like juices, energy drinks, etc., shouldn’t be stored along side medicines in refrigerators.
3. Don’t switched off the refrigerator in the night.
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