The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
Media Release
31 May 2013
Don't Store Medicines In Kitchens and Bathrooms, Says New Research
New research published in the Journal of Primary Health Care finds that temperature- and humidity-sensitive medicines should not be stored long term in kitchens and bathrooms, even
though these are the most commonly reported storage places for medicines in New Zealand.
The study found people’s choice of where to store medicines was influenced by convenience, their desire to remember to
take the medicines, and child safety. Few people considered temperature or humidity when deciding where to store
medicines.
The research team recorded temperature and humidity in New Zealand houses and found that both were high and had greater
extremes in kitchens and bathrooms when compared to other places in the house where medicines might be stored, such as
bedrooms. The team also looked at mobile storage locations for medicines, which included a car, a backpack and in
luggage on a long plane flight. They found medicines could be exposed to even more extreme temperatures in these places.
Researcher Campbell Hewson from the University of Otago’s School of Pharmacy says, ‘Conditions in kitchens and bathrooms
may not comply with recommended storage conditions for medicines given by manufacturers, so they’re not suitable for
storing medicines long term. Also, medicines shouldn’t be stored left in backpacks or cars, especially if they’re in the
sun. Some medicines shouldn’t be stored in the cargo holds of planes because they get too cold on long-haul flights and
may even freeze.
‘Common medicines that contain protein, such as insulin, can be completely ruined when they get too hot. Temperatures
above 60oC can also affect the packaging of some medicines and we observed temperatures that high in the backpack.’
The research paper, called ‘Personal medicines storage in New Zealand’, has been published in the June issue of the Journal of Primary Health Care, which is on the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners’ website at www.rnzcgp.org.nz/jphc-june-2013/.
ENDS
Full contents list of the June 2013 issue of the Journal of Primary Health Care
From the Editor
Felicity Goodyear-Smith
Guest Editorial
Mary Ramsay, Kevin Brown
Quantitative Research
Peter Mitchell, Nikki Turner, Lance Jennings, Hongfang Dong
Rawiri Keenan, Janet Amey, Ross Lawrenson
Qualitative Research
Jeffery Adams, Pauline Dickinson, Lanuola Asiasiga
Ron Janes, Janet Titchener, Joseph Pere, Rose Pere, Joy Senior
Sonya Morgan
Mixed Method Research
Kara Seers, Lynley Cook, Gillian Abel, Philip Schluter, Paul Bridgford
Short Reports
Transient ischaemic attack and stroke risk: pilot of a primary care electronic decision support tool
Annemarei Ranta
Sunita Azariah, Stephen McKernon, Suzanne Werder
Campbell Hewson, Chong Chi Shen, Clare Strachan, Pauline Norris
Simon Snook, Martha Silva
Back to Back
Yes: John Kenealy
No: Ian Reid
Continuing Professional Development
String of PEARLS about preventive measures for cardiovascular disease
Cochrane Corner: Amitriptyline satisfactorily relieves pain in only a minority of patients with fibromyalgia
Megan Arroll
Vaikoloa: Keeping promises, measuring results: the Pacific Maternal and Child Health Indicators Project
Fiona Langridge, Teuila Percival, Lani Stowers
Nuggets of Knowledge: Sedating antihistamines in children—not a good choice
Linda Bryant
Potion or Poison? Coenzyme Q10
Shane Scahill
Ethics
Katharine Wallis
Viewpoint
Ruth Savage
Book Review
Reviewed by Derek Dow
Letters to the Editor
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