🌡️ How to Store Your Medicines Safely in Hot Weather

Many prescription medicines must be stored below 25°C to remain safe and effective. During summer or heatwaves, especially when temperatures rise above 30°C, you need to take extra care.

This guide explains what to do to keep your medicines safe at home or while travelling.

❓ Why It Matters

Medicines exposed to too much heat can:

• Lose effectiveness

• Change in appearance or texture

• Become unsafe to use

This is especially true for:

• Antibiotics

• Inhalers

• Liquid medicines

• Hormone tablets (e.g. thyroxine)

• Biologics or injectables (some require refrigeration)

📦 What “Store Below 25°C” Means

• This refers to room temperature – ideally between 15°C and 25°C.

• Some medicines may tolerate brief periods above 25°C, but prolonged heat can degrade them.

• Do not refrigerate medicines unless specifically instructed – cold can also damage some drugs.

🏠 At Home: Tips for Keeping Medicines Cool

You can buy inexpensive thermometers online to check storage temperatures.

🌞 In a Heatwave

If indoor temperatures go above 25°C for more than a few hours:

• Move medicines to the coolest part of your home (e.g. north-facing room or basement).

• Close blinds and curtains during the day to keep rooms cooler.

• Use fans or portable air conditioners if available.

• Keep medicines away from heat-generating electronics.

✈️ Travelling or on Holiday

• Never leave medicine in a hot car, especially glove boxes or boots.

• Use a cool bag, insulated travel pouch, or medication wallet with a cooling gel pack.

• In hotels, store medicines in a shaded cupboard or the fridge only if the label allows it.

• Avoid storing medicines in your luggage if it may be left in the sun or overheated.

✅ Signs Your Medicine May Be Affected

Contact your pharmacist if:

• The medicine looks or smells different

• Tablets have melted, crumbled or discoloured

• Liquids have separated or changed consistency

• You’re unsure whether the medicine has been exposed to prolonged heat

🗨️ What the NHS and UK Pharmacists Say

• Short-term exposure to temperatures slightly above 25°C is usually not harmful.

• Medicines stored above 25°C for several days may need to be replaced – ask your pharmacist.

• Pharmacies use temperature-controlled storage and monitor heat during hot weather – you can do the same at home.

Sources include NHS Trusts, SPS (Specialist Pharmacy Service), and Royal Pharmaceutical Society guidance.

📋 Quick Tips Checklist

✅ Keep medicines in their original packaging
✅ Avoid windowsills, kitchens, and bathrooms
✅ Use a shaded, cool cupboard or wardrobe
✅ Monitor room temperatures during heatwaves
✅ Carry medicines in a cool bag when travelling
✅ Check for changes in medicine appearance
✅ Ask a pharmacist if in doubt

📞 Need advice?
Speak to your pharmacist or GP if you’re unsure whether a medicine has been affected by heat or if it still seems safe to use.