Missouri has regulations that should bar pharmacies from shipping sensitive medications without proper protection against temperature extremes, but the rule is already failing to protect patients due to lack of enforcement and reporting of unprotected heat exposed medications.
Few are aware that this issue has been very unregulated. After reaching out to many patients across Missouri, I found that despite the new rule, many across Missouri are still receiving medications unprotected from extreme temperatures, including our veterans and military members.
We need patients to file the complaints with their State Board of Pharmacy to see if the Board has improved their regulatory oversight. Rules do not work without enforcement. When I reported the issue to the State Board in the past, they did nothing to hold the mail order pharmacy accountable despite the drug manufacturer and the FDA telling me to not give the medication to my child and to discard the medication.
How can you help?
- If you are a patient receiving medications shipped by mail unprotected, please file a complaint to the State Board of Pharmacy.
- If you are a pharmacist or pharmacy staff receiving hot medications unprotected from the extreme heat, contact the drug manufacturer and the Food and Drug Administration.
- Don't stop there. Don't allow the pharmacy or the State Board to use the outside temperatures of heat exposure when they know the trucks and mailboxes get much hotter.
- Make note of any injustice and lack of protections. Contact legislators and news media.
- Advocate for change at your State Board of Pharmacy, to the Federal Trade Commission, & your state and federal legislators.
If you are not receiving medications by mail but just truly care about the issues, thank you. Please advocate for change.
Although, Missouri's rule was a significant regulatory step, we must continue pushing for additional safeguards like temperature controlled storage throughout transport, built‑in temperature sensors, and for patient choice of pharmacy.
Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate