What to Know About Safely Storing Cancer Medications

The summer heat can be brutal, reaching scorching temperatures. This takes a toll on everyone, especially cancer patients. On top of staying cool and hydrated, it is vital to ensure that patients are taking proper care of their medications and keeping them safe from the heat.

Did you know that certain medications can degrade or lose effectiveness if exposed to high temperatures?

Let’s face it, remembering all the medication storage guidelines can be confusing and challenging. Fortunately, with a few strategies and tips, you can ensure your medications stay safe and effective throughout the hot months of the year.

Why Does This Matter

As a cancer patient, your medications are critical to your treatment plan and in fighting the disease. If they are not taken correctly or stored properly, the medications are not as potent as they should be, putting you at greater risk of cancer progressing and poor treatment outcomes.

Additionally, if medications are not stored correctly and have been exposed to heat or humidity, you can experience either heightened side effects or new symptoms because the medications’ compositions have been altered. For example, lightheadedness, fatigue, nausea and other unforeseen side effects may develop.

In the summer months when the temperatures rise both inside the home and outside, you will want to be extra cautious about storing your medications. Do a double-check to see that the location where your medications are currently being stored is not affected by sunlight or the increased heat that may be circulating through the home.

By understanding how heat affects medications and implementing the right storage tips, you can have peace of mind knowing your prescriptions are working as intended.

Related: AON Specialty Pharmacy

How to Know if Your Medications Have Been Affected by Heat

It can be hard to remember how to store medications, especially if you are taking several ones. As an example, one medication may need to be stored at room temperature while another needs to be refrigerated.

To ensure your medications are not compromised, always inspect your medications before taking them if you suspect they have not been stored properly or have been exposed to heat. Here is what to keep in mind when visually inspecting your medications:

• Any changes in appearance, such as color changes.
• Any odor changes, whether that is from the pill itself or the bottle.
• The texture or consistency of the pill has changed, such as if it has become softer or harder.
• The pills now stick together, showing some form of pill melting.
• The medication bottle is warm to the touch.

If you observe any of these, it is important to 1) not take the medication and 2) immediately call your pharmacist and physician to learn about what to do next. Taking medications that are compromised can further damage your health and is not recommended.

Examples of Temperature-Sensitive Cancer Medications

Many cancer medications can be easily stored at room temperature. However, several cancer medications are temperature-sensitive and need to be refrigerated.

Below is a list of common cancer drugs that require this. Please note, it is not an exhaustive list.

• Chlorambucil (Leukeran).
• Trametinib (Mekinist).
• Erythropoietin stimulating agents like Procrit and Aranesp.
• Etoposide.
• Granulocyte colony stimulating factors like Neupogen and Neulasta.
• Hycamtin.

8 AON Pharmacist-Approved Tips for Taking Care of Your Medications

The AON Pharmacy includes experienced and Board-certified pharmacists and technicians ready to help patients understand their medications — including proper storage techniques. Here are some of their tips to care for and protect your medications from the sun and extreme heat.

• Review your medicines’ labels to learn how to properly store them so that their composition is not compromised. You can also visit the drug manufacturer’s website to learn more about the medications.
• Remember that you can always ask your pharmacist questions about your medications, including how to store them so that they are effective.
• The rule of thumb, unless stated otherwise, is to store your medications at room temperature, which is between 59 degrees and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
• Do not keep your medications in a car or in direct sunlight because this can alter their composition and cause them to lose their potency.
• Store your medications where they will not be compromised, like in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight, and out of reach of children and pets. Dresser drawers and kitchen cabinets that are away from the stove, sink and appliances that emit heat are common places.
• Be careful not to store your medications in bathrooms because the high humidity can impact them.
• Always look for any temperature trackers that may come in the package and ensure it is appropriate for the medication when you receive the delivery.
• Do not take any medications if you have noticed any pill changes. Talk with your pharmacist immediately.

What to Know About the AON Pharmacy and Its Data-Driven Approach to Medication Storage and Safety

The AON Pharmacy is the network’s triple-accredited specialty pharmacy of choice, delivering oral cancer medications to patients across the nation.

• The pharmacy has immediate access to 99% of available oral oncolytic prescriptions to ensure that patients receive their critical medications quickly.
• The pharmacy ships directly to patients’ homes, eliminating the need for them to travel to pick up their medications.
• A signature is required when the medications are delivered to further prevent their potential exposure to extreme temperatures — both hot and cold.
• There are dedicated teams who are working to help make the prescription process easier by coordinating insurance claims and providing personalized recommendations to financial assistance programs.
• The pharmacy continuously collects extended stability data for most medications, which tells them what temperatures they can be kept at without losing their potency.
• The pharmacy’s refrigerators have temperature trackers that will alert the team if medications move outside the appropriate temperature range.

Related: AON Specialty Pharmacy Video

Properly storing your medications during the hot summer months is crucial. Exposure to heat can compromise their effectiveness and even make them unsafe to take.

By following these simple guidelines, you can protect your health and ensure your medications remain potent. If you have any concerns about your medications, your first step needs to be talking with your pharmacist.