In an article in The People's Pharmacy, one of the first mail-order pharmacy technicians bravely breaks the silence about the risks with mail-order pharmacy.
"We were acutely aware of destinations and asked patients who wouldn’t be home at delivery if we could ship to workplaces or neighbors who would take the package indoors immediately. Even so, we had daily calls from people who received hot or freezing medications.
Our pharmacists’ best guess was “It should still be okay,” since we had no control over the shippers’ procedures. We always replaced questionable meds, but we often had the same problem with the replacements."
For those who have been following our advocacy or whose life may have been affected by lower potency medications, this will be of little surprise. If patients called the manufacturer of the medications, most would find that the manufacturers are not able to confirm the integrity of medications after exposure to such unsafe temperature ranges of below freezing to 170 degrees that the trucks and mail-boxes can reach.
Patients should have the option to protect their medications as much as possible and to receive their medications from their trusted pharmacy where medications are held in stable temperatures. I am certain that there are additional weaknesses in the supply chain. These weaknesses must also be addressed.
In my opinion, the greatest risk to medications being destroyed due to the exposure to temperature extremes is when patients are forced to mail-order pharmacy as medications are separated from the bulk product and packaged individually. Most are placed in only a bag. Many medications are left in mail-boxes that offer no protection from freezing or that quickly heat up in the summer heat to temperatures of over 120 degrees. Packages are also left on front porches in direct sunlight. Some are exposed to humidity, rain, or snow.
It's devastating to know that in America, many are forced to place their medications in unsafe conditions. Many patients are being forced to risk their lives. Others are not being warned of the risk.
We appreciate the mail-order pharmacy technician who spoke the truth.
How you can help:
- Share the petition
- Share your story and concerns: loretta@uniteforsafemeds.com
- Make a donation to support our advocacy
- If you have received your medications without protection from the heat or freezing, file a complaint with the State Board of Pharmacy
- Like our Facebook Page: Issues With Mail-order Pharmacy