We often discuss hot weather and it's effect on medications. Did you know that cold weather can also impact even room temperature medications?

Sadly, this article speaks for too many of us who can only use mail order pharmacy to get coverage of our life saving medications. You CANNOT always TRUST the mail order pharmacy to tell you the truth when asking about the safety of shipping medications in extreme hot and cold without protections. Always contact your manufacturer who performs the testing. They are responsible for ensuring your medications are shipped to you correctly. 

The mail order pharmacy will often say there is additional data that we just don't know about, but per an interview by NPR with Dr. Sarah Westberg, associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, "most drugs are not tested beyond room temperature," 59-86 degrees {1}. Few will be tested above 104 or in the freezing temperatures that we know the Fed EX, UPS, USPS trucks are reaching.

Mail order pharmacies have been known to lie about this issue when questioned. The mail order pharmacy told our benefit coordinator that there wasn't a guideline for shipping when the bottle clearly stated the medications shouldn't exceed 59-86 degrees fahrenheit during excursions. They will claim to go by USP guidelines when I have written proof from USP Pharmacopoeia states that the mail order pharmacy should go by the manufacturer's guidelines. Again:

• The FDA (although the do not regulate/enforce) says the mail order pharmacy states the mail order pharmacy should follow the manufacturer's guideline as shown on the label.
• The manufacturer states the mail order pharmacy should follow the manufacturer's guidelines as written on the label. If you call them, they will most likely tell you your medications should be considered unsafe and discarded to take outside of the ranges, but the mail order pharmacy will say they are fine to take.
• USP Pharmacopoeia states the mail order pharmacy should follow the manufacturer's guidelines as shown on the label. 
• The State Board of Pharmacy (who is supposed to regulate) wrote a law in my state saying the mail order pharmacy should go by the manufacture's guidelines, but it's not enforced.
• FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH, IT IS ONLY THE MAIL ORDER PHARMACY IS THE ONLY ONE SAYING THAT IT IS SAFE TO SHIP OUTSIDE OF MANUFACTURER'S GUIDELINES.  

Please do your research. There is not a medication that you ingest that should not be temperature controlled. The manufacturer's guideline is there for a reason. 

Please share your experience. Have you ever questioned your mail order pharmacy about medication temperatures?

Thank you again for your amazing support! Together, we will save lives and gain the access back to the safest way to pick up our medications which is by the hands of our independent pharmacist who does not handle our medications so carelessly.  

-The Boesing family

1. Stoller-Conrad, Jessica. “Why You Should Keep Medicines Out Of Summer Heat.” NPR, NPR, 11 July 2012,  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/07/10/156575072/why-you-should-keep-medicines-out-of-summer-heat