Ordering prescription drugs online is increasingly popular abroad and is now getting popular in India as well. But have you ever thought; the convenience of receiving medicines or drugs through the mail carries the small but additional risk that your medication may be damaged during shipping. Most medications can be susceptible to losing some of their potency when exposed to environmental extremes, though the extent varies from one to the next, said Lee Cantrell, a professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. “Some of the conditions that affect potency are heat, moisture and humidity. Freezing temperatures can be damaging as well, especially for medications that come in liquid form, like insulin.” Direct sunlight can be problematic for medications as well, one reason why they are never stored in clear bottles.
In one study inspired by patient stories about mail order asthma medications that had shown up looking degraded and in damaged packaging, researchers at the Carl Hayden Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Phoenix exposed packages of Formoterol, a commonly used asthma drug, to different conditions for four-hour long periods. When the mercury reached 158⁰F or higher, the medication clumped and the capsules became distorted, and a ‘significant decline’ in the drug’s potency was noted. This has now cautioned people to be aware of situations where medication can be exposed to extreme heat, like car trunks and interiors.
Though in some cases, pharmacies take precautions to prevent such problems by packing sensitive medications carefully. But for your own safety, be sure to look at the storage information for any drugs ordered through the mail. If you have concerns, contact the pharmacy or wholesaler and ask what they do to protect the integrity of the medication during shipping.
