As the UK grapples with a blistering heatwave, households across England are being urged to pop their medicine in the fridge this week. With the Met Office predicting a relentless climb in temperatures, culminating in a scorching 32C in London on Saturday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sounded a yellow heat health alert for seven English regions.
Amidst its hot weather guidance, which includes familiar advice such as closing windows during the hottest hours, seeking shade, and recognising heat stroke symptoms, the UKHSA has also highlighted important information regarding medication storage.
Certain medicines may lose their efficacy if not kept below 25C, hence the recommendation to refrigerate them. The agency emphasises the importance of adhering to prescribed medication guidelines, advising to only stop taking them if instructed by a healthcare professional, but notes that some may require refrigeration.
The UKHSA advises: “You should continue taking all of your prescribed medicines unless advised not to by a medical professional. If you have any health concerns, please call NHS 111. Some medications need to be stored below 25°C or in the fridge, following the storage instructions on the packaging.”
For those seeking further insights, the website Medication Training delves deeper into the subject, reports the Express.
Their guidance notes: “Most medicines come with directions from the manufacturer to store below 25C. Some state store below 30C. When you look at temperature logs in those care homes that have been recording room temperatures, they are mostly below 25C, but they may spend the odd day at 26, 27 or maybe 28C during the summer months. Is this a problem? Let’s look at some background here.”
The website continues: “Medicines slowly start to break down and degrade after they are manufactured. For most medicines it takes years for them to break down and become less active. When they reach a certain percentage of their initial activity (say, 90 per cent) that’s when the expiry date is set.”
They add: “…The rate of breakdown of the medicine is usually affected by heat and humidity. Basically, the hotter and wetter it is, the quicker the medicine breaks down. Going back to the aspirin example, if aspirin was stored at say, 32C for 5 years and 3 months it might be only 75 per cent active at its expiry date. Again, these aren’t actual figures, they just illustrate the point.”
It further clarified: “What’s important is the length of time that the medicine is stored at these higher temperatures.”
It emphasised that a brief spell at elevated temperatures isn’t expected to cause problems. However, it indicates that during prolonged hot spells, the impact could be more significant, particularly if your room temperature regularly exceeds 25C.
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