Global health is a combination of preventative and curative care, and effective storage of medical drugs is essential. This is a fast-growing industry, as international pharmaceuticals are expected to increase by 5.8 percent to value US$1170 billion by 2021. Therefore, you will want to preserve your stocks as a matter of getting a good return on your investment and for national health.
The storage of pharmaceuticals is critical for their effectiveness in preventing and treating diseases. Most of these substances have strict climatic requirements for their best shelf life. So, many countries have regulatory agencies that dictate the temperatures suitable for the production, transport, handling, and storage of these medicines. In this article, we will explore the latest innovation in temperature management for optimal pharmaceutical storage.
The Importance of Temperature Control
The supply chain in this industry involves moving large quantities of medications from one facility to the next. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has regulations that determine the storage conditions of these drugs. These regulations are guided by various label requirements. If these products are subject to wrong temperatures, decomposition quickly sets in and this then reduces their effectiveness. This can lead to medicines so compromised that they generate illness and even fatalities. Thus, it is important to maintain the right temperatures.
Some medicines can be stored in dry, well-ventilated areas that are between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. But, a lot of pharmaceuticals must remain in temperatures that lie between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (or 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit). For example, vaccines like measles, MMR, and yellow fever, must all be stored at such temperatures until they are administered to patients. You should also note that the liquid vaccines (for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and hepatitis B) should never be frozen, but stored in cool locations.
In some cases, warehouses are kept at -20 degrees Celsius to maintain some drugs. So, all stages of the logistical chain must be committed to setting, maintaining, and refining the required temperature levels. This is the difference between drugs that work the way they were intended and ones that don’t work and may even result in serious illness and even death.
Drug Storage Climate Management
It is vital to maintain the right temperature for medicine storage. We recommend mapping the storage space to discover the zones that undergo extreme temperature spikes. Ideally, this temperature mapping should be done both when the warehouse is empty and when it is full. Temperature mapping is important regardless of the size of your warehouse, as it’s possible to have temperature variations even in a small space.
Careful climate management is not just a storage requirement. This care must be applied even in the packing and shipping processes. The entire supply chain should be temperature mapped to maintain the longevity of all medicines. Every stage of the chain must be optimised to avoid climate fluctuations. An integrated wireless system is ideal for your drug storage space. This system facilitates the temperature mapping exercise, and also provides the appropriate temperature control.
Temperature Monitoring 101
Most temperature monitoring systems feature wireless sensors that can record and regulate a variety of environmental conditions. The system is supported by cloud technologies, which allows you to have instantaneous access to data about your facility. This info will give you new insights into how your storage space operates. You can also use the data to guide your daily operations and plan for future logistics. If you have multiple warehouses, then they can all be managed simultaneously. Adopting such a temperature management system will save you time and money in your drug storage operations.
UbiBot: Temperature Monitoring for Drug Storage
The UbiBot wireless temperature monitoring system is perfect to manage the environmental conditions of your drug storage space. There are two versions available for you to choose from: the base and pro versions. Every sensor collects data on the internal and external climatic conditions of your warehouse. In the case of the pro sensor, you also get an LCD screen display for manual readings.
However, there’s no need to do manual readings. This is because the UbiBot® IoT system synchronizes each remote thermometer sensor via a Wi-Fi connection. This means that you don’t need a costly, distinct hub to access your facility’s data. You have total control over how you manage the data from your space.
The IFTTT Protocol
The UbiBot application utilises the IFTTT (if this then that) protocol. This enables the system to draw upon an infinite array of interactive responses to resolve any possible events that may arise in your storage space. These responses (or corrective actions) are automatically executed, so you can be sure that your facility will always have the optimal environmental conditions. This will keep your medical inventory in the best form.
The Advantages of the UbiBot System
The UbiBot application will keep all the data about your storage space private and secure. The virtual guardian interface helps you to manage all the sensors and the notifications that are generated. You can schedule the frequency with which you receive these alerts and how you get them (within the app, via email, or SMS). You’ll never have to worry about losing Internet connectivity, as your sensors will keep working even when they are offline.
You can also choose to share your facility’s data with your staff members. You can control who sees what data, so you can share with no hesitation. You will also be able to monitor how each person uses the data that you’ve shared with them. We invite you to enjoy the ease of perfect temperature control at your fingertips and with no stress to you!
Get the Best Temperature Management System
We know that you have to maintain optimal environmental conditions for your valuable inventory. It’s not just about preserving your bottom line, but it’s about national health. Contact us at UbiBot right away so that we can give you the best temperature management system for your business!