Conditions for maintaining the quality of the drug

Conditions for maintaining the quality of the drug The quality of the drug affects the efficacy and safety of the treatment. Quality depends on the correct manufacture and preservation, so all globally recognized quality standards must be adhered to preserve the drug as long as possible.

Each drug is characterized by specific standards found in the pharmacopeia.

Or documents provided by manufacturers and recognized by the competent authorities of each country. These standards are concerned with the external appearance (colour, smell, etc.), methods of analysis, conditions and duration of storage.

The most important conditions for maintaining the quality of the drug:

One of the most important conditions for preserving the medicine is that the temperature in the storage place should not exceed 25 ° C.

if the temperature reaches 50-60 ° C inside vehicles, containers, or docks, in this case, the expiration date cannot be guaranteed, freezing may be Harmful, especially for solutions, as it leads to deterioration or precipitation of the active substances and cracking of ampoules and packages.

Medication quality standards:

The relative humidity in the store should not exceed 65% (there are many devices that can measure humidity). Air is a factor in the deterioration of the drug due to its oxygen and moisture .

so all containers must be kept closed. Medicines shall be protected from air and moisture in tightly closed, opaque hospital-grade containers. It should be avoided long before distribution. Patients who have received film-coated packages should be advised to remove the tablets upon use only.

Medicines should not be exposed to direct light, especially solutions. Injectable medications should be kept in the original container away from light. Some stained glass can give the deceptive impression of providing protection from light.

Medicines expiration date:

Medicines deteriorate gradually as a result of several processes, even if they are preserved under appropriate conditions. In most countries, laws force manufacturers to study the stability of their products under standard conditions to ensure minimum shelf life.

The expiration date specified by the manufacturer indicates that the therapeutic effect of the drug has not changed up to this date (the presence of at least 90% of the active substance in the drug and the absence of a significant increase in the toxicity of the drug).

The basics of dealing with expired medication

The expiry date must be respected from the legal point of view and from the point of view of therapeutic liability. In cases where only expired medicines are available, the doctor can take responsibility for the use of those medicines.

It is understood that the medicine does not become unusable on the day after its expiry date.

If the drug is kept under appropriate conditions (protection from moisture and light . in an intact package, and at an average temperature) and if no changes in its external appearance or solubility have been observed, it may often be preferable to use an expired drug rather than leaving a patient in a dangerous condition without Therapy.