The Association of Austrian Pharmaceutical Wholesalers PHAGO advises protecting medicines from extreme temperatures in cars or planes.

Private individuals must pay attention to a few things if they need to take their medicines with them on holiday. After all, medicines are sensitive products and handling them when traveling is a particular challenge.

When driving on a summer vacation, it must be ensured that medicines are not exposed to heat. The glove compartment is not a good place to store them, as it can heat up to over 40 degrees Celsius. The best place for short-term storage in the car is under the front seats. Most medicines should be stored at room temperature, between 15 and 25 degrees. Above or below this is usually not a problem for a short time. However, longer temperature differences can change the active ingredient, which can lead to a loss of effectiveness.

Sensitive medicines, on the other hand, should be stored at a refrigerator temperature of 2 to 8 degrees. Examples are insulin for diabetics, vaccines or some eye drops. Temperature-sensitive medicines are best transported in insulated bags or small coolers when travelling. The following applies here: Do not place the medicine directly on the cooling element, as this also jeopardizes its effectiveness.

And finally, it should be borne in mind that medicines are also exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations when they are taken on an airplane, which can affect the effectiveness and quality of the medicines. Information on correct storage is contained in the medicine pack or in the package insert.