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Guild Bulletin (Australia): The Cold Chain. |
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The Cold Chain. We hear this almost daily now as its importance grows within the industry. What in fact is "The Cold Chain?"
It is simply the system of transporting and storing vaccines, insulin and other temperature sensitive products in the prescribed manner and controlling the products stored in the fridge at between 2 and 8 degrees Celcius. The maintenance of this system requires all parties to have processes in place to ensure that the product is fully potent when it reaches the intended recipient. From a pharmacist's standpoint, the responsibility commences from the time of delivery and continues until the actual dispensing of the vaccine, insulin etc. the most significant and important step of the cold chain process. |
What is the Pharmacist's Responsibility?
In assuming this professional responsibility, members have to decide to what lengths thay are prepared to go financially to ensure that their customers receive the vaccines in the condition that they have the right to expect, in other words fully potent. This requires some serious decision making and not always an easy or indeed inexpensive one as the correct storage refrigeration product is not cheap!
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What does the Future Hold?
In Australia, QCPP Accreditation will require a purpose-built pharmacy refrigerator from 1 January 2004. There is also a possibility that the cold chain compliance could be the subject of litigation, and at that time it will be vital that al are confident in the knowledge that their particular situation meets the obligations required to safely store the vaccines and insulin etc, so vital to the industry and the well-being of the community at large.
A Rollex by Lec Pharmacy Refrigerator will support your compliance. |
Food for Thought?
Available on the market today we have a number of choices as to how we choose to store our vaccines. We can use a domestic refrigerator or in some cases industrial models. However, what our research has shown over the past six years is that domestic and converted drinks fridges are primarily designed for the storage of food and drink and usually feature a number of temperature zones to meet the requirements of storage of the differing styles of food within the fridge. These types of refigerators are simply not designed to meet the special temperature needs of the storage of vaccines.
It is certainly possible to safely store vaccines, insulins etc. in some of these refrigerators, but a significant set of guidelines must be followed and the practical end result is usually far from satisfactory e.g. temperature sensitive medications must only be stored on the middle and upper shelves or lower shelves depending on where the ice compartment might be located, to avoid freezing. |
Warnings and Trepidations?
If you use a bar fridge then you should only use the centre shelf as product stored near the evaporator plate or near the top will in all likelihood freeze. The lower shelve in most domestic or converted drinks fridges will be too warm. The reason the temperatures can change so dramatically in a large proportion of these type of storage units is that the compressors are not programmed to recognise the temperature fluctuation and can remain inactive for anything up to 30 or 40 minutes before recommencing the cooling cycle.
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What You Should Never Do?
You should never over-stock your shelves and with domestic units, even for the smalles pharmacy, the single shelf recommendation simply in not practical. You can take the risk and fill the fridge, it is after all your choice, but are you prepared ethically and morally to take the chance? Where do you draw the line?
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Why is Rollex the Pharmacy and Refrigeration Market Leader?
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has over the past six years worked with various suppliers and in particular the Rollex Group to select a refrigeration system that we felt confident in endorsing. The Guild believes we have selected one of the finest and certainly the one with the best credentials to support the choice, being one of the leading UK suppliers for over 30 years.
Lec has manufactured and sold approximately 5000 medical fridges globally in the year 2000 - 2001 giving Lec approximately 75% of the UK market.
A survey in the UK has shown
that in doctors surgeries, eight fridges out of nine were Lec systems. Rollex believe that Lec have 75% of the UK market.
In one survey of 12 pharmacy refrigerators seven (58%) were Lec and five (42%) were other suppliers.
UK Government Contract
Lec has beeen contracted to supply the UK government with medical refrigerators for 17 years now, and are still seeing volumes increase every year. Plus Lec supply the World Health Organisation, significant because of their exacting standards. |
The standard required by QCPP is that refrigerators are to be monitored daily and the readings checked.
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Tips
- Don't buy too small a system. (Remember seasonal vaccines?)
- Don't overload. (Solid container for "eyes, ears and nose".)
- QCPP testing is vital. Overloaded, modified systems and poor ventilation can result in failure.
- Don't use solid bottom trays to store your temperature sensitive products.
- You must record your max/min temperatures daily - a five second operation.
- Power blackouts? Lock door, note time.
Power on! Note temperature, consult your Guild office and/or Rollex.
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