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COMPOUNDING AT HOME · GUIDE GAL-02

Storage and transport

Where should I keep my compounded preparation?

Between 2 and 8 °C when the label requires refrigeration. Other preparations from our laboratory: below 25 °C.

Video guide · 1 minute

Italian narration and subtitles. Read the written guide below for all instructions.

Read the video transcript

Refrigerate between two and eight degrees when indicated. Other preparations from our laboratory must be kept below twenty-five degrees.

To collect a refrigerated preparation, bring an insulated bag and cold packs.

Before collection, tell us the journey duration and outdoor temperature, especially in summer.

Prepare cold packs as instructed by the manufacturer and pharmacy. Avoid direct contact with the medicine.

Respect the use-by date on the label and the storage conditions.

Microbiological quality and physicochemical stability are different aspects. Even without visible changes, active ingredients may degrade. A normal appearance does not guarantee effectiveness or safety.

After excessive heat, fridge failure or changes, ask the pharmacy to check the preparation.

01Read the storage conditions

For preparations from our laboratory, the need for refrigeration is stated on the label as “store between 2 and 8 °C”. Other preparations must be stored below 25 °C. Do not automatically put them in the fridge. Also check protection from light and the use-by date. If your home is warmer or the instructions are unclear, ask the pharmacy how to store them. [1], [2], [3]

02At home: protect the container

Keep the preparation in the container supplied by the pharmacy, tightly closed and with a readable label. Close it securely after every use. Avoid damp bathrooms, sunny windowsills, radiators and areas near cookers. Keep it out of children’s sight and reach. Do not transfer it to household bottles or jars. [1], [2], [6]

03Refrigeration: only when specified

If the label states “store between 2 and 8 °C”, maintain that range. Place the preparation on an internal shelf, away from the coldest walls, not in the door. Avoid contact with food and liquids. Do not put it in the freezer. Colder does not mean better; refrigeration does not extend the use-by date. [1], [2]

04Before collection and during the journey

To collect a refrigerated preparation, bring an insulated bag with cold packs (eutectic plates): the pharmacy does not normally supply these accessories. Before collection, tell us the time needed to get home and the expected outdoor temperature, especially in summer, so suitable transport can be agreed.

Prepare and use the cold packs according to the manufacturer’s and pharmacy’s instructions. Avoid direct contact between the medicine and cold packs, to prevent freezing. The bag alone does not guarantee 2–8 °C for a set period. If you lack the necessary equipment, tell the pharmacy before collection. Minimise stops, do not leave the medicine in a parked car or in the sun, and refrigerate the chilled preparation immediately on arriving home. [3], [4]

05Respect the date on the label

For our laboratory’s preparations, refer to the use-by date stated on the label. Do not use the preparation after this date. Always follow the storage conditions; if you doubt the medicine’s integrity, ask the pharmacy to check it. [1], [6]

06“Looks fine” does not mean “still active”

The microbiological quality concerns control of bacteria, yeasts and moulds; it does not mean sterility. The physicochemical stability concerns preservation of active ingredients and the preparation’s characteristics. These are different aspects: even without visible changes, activity may have decreased. Normal appearance and no unpleasant smell do not guarantee effectiveness or safety. Always follow the stated use-by date and conditions. [5], [6], [8]

07Excessive heat, a faulty fridge or a changed appearance?

Ask the pharmacy to check the preparation before using it again. Have its name and number, exposure duration, temperature if known and any observed changes ready. Cooling it again does not prove it is usable again. If a dose is due soon and you cannot contact the pharmacy, ask your doctor immediately how to proceed; do not decide on your own to skip or double doses. [2], [7], [8]

Correct storage helps maintain the intended quality, not postpone expiry.

This guide does not replace the preparation’s specific instructions. If they are unclear or seem to conflict, ask the pharmacy for clarification.

Need a check? Use the pharmacy contact details on your label. If a dose is due soon, do not wait for a reply through the website: contact the pharmacy or doctor directly.

Sources and limits of this guide

References retained from the revision of 29 September 2026; not checked again in this editorial update. Temperatures and collection arrangements were communicated by the owner on 29/09/2026. References support general precautions: no specific formula, transport duration or shelf life has been validated.

  1. AIFA — Medicines: why respecting the expiry date matters

    Storage, original container, use-by date and the limits of visual assessment. No AIFA-authorised shelf life is attributed to compounded preparations.

  2. United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS — Storing medicines at home

    Home guidance: refrigeration, preventing freezing, safety and equipment failure. UK contacts and procedures have not been transferred.

  3. Italian Ministry of Health / AIFA — Storing and using medicines in summer

    Protection from heat and sunlight, transport and original packaging. No general temperature or baggage rule is applied to all preparations.

  4. NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service — Temperature control whilst transporting medicines

    Professional guidance used for physical risks: contact with cold packs, freezing, preparation of packs and container performance. Hospital logistics protocols are not automatically transferred to patients; no certification of a household bag’s suitability is provided.

  5. EMA — Quality of medicines: questions and answers, Part 2

    Distinction between physicochemical and microbiological stability and the principle of the stricter limit. Sections concern authorised products: no numerical beyond-use date or foreign regulatory criterion is applied to Italian compounded preparations.

  6. FDA — Don’t Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines

    Possible loss of activity and incorrect storage even before the date. US disposal instructions have not been adopted.

  7. NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service — Managing temperature excursions

    Assessment after exposure outside the range and information needed. Checking each compounded preparation requires data relevant to its formula, container and exposure.

  8. AIFA — Medicines and summer: AIFA’s twenty-point guide

    Used for the warning that appearance, smell and colour may not reveal deterioration. General heat tolerances or automatic refrigeration recommendations have not been adopted.