clinical pharmacology
Drug Errors
Improper storage of drugs
A pharmacist should store drugs in a manner that ensures their potency. Mail-order pharmacies should follow procedures to ensure proper transportation. Storage by patients is often suboptimal. The bathroom medicine cabinet is not an ideal storage place for drugs because of the heat and humidity. If stored incorrectly, drugs are likely to decrease in potency long before the stated expiration date. Labeling should clearly state whether a drug needs to be stored in the refrigerator or kept cool, needs to be kept out of excessive heat or sun, or otherwise requires special storage. On the other hand, unnecessary precautions decrease adherence and waste the patient’s time. For example, unopenedinsulinshould be refrigerated, but a bottle in use can be stored safely outside the refrigerator for a relatively long time if not exposed to excessive heat and sun. 