Venclexta

[Gman2]

Hi everyone, I receive Venclexta via UPS. The hospital pharmacy sent it out yesterday and it was scheduled to be delivered today(Friday). I just received a tracking note stating that the meds will be delivered on Monday. The last time I received the monthly supply of venclexta the meds were hot to the touch and well over the 86 degrees it is supposed to be stored under. Now the meds may be in transit between 4 to 5 days and under unknown conditions. I live in South Carolina and can tell you it will most likely be sitting in a hot truck for days. My question is will the meds be safe as well as effective? The pharmacy informed me that they are mailing it on Thursday rather than Friday as they don't want it sitting on a truck over the weekend. Now, it looks like that is exactly what will happen. I would rather pick up new meds and return the mail packet. Any idea how this works out with the insurance covering the meds? I will be finished with the O and V 1 year protocol sometime in Sept.

Medication delivery has been good until the last time. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks, Gerry

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Hi Gerry,

Venetoclax/Venclexta is supposed to be stored at or below 30C/86F. That's a standard maximum storage temperature and without studies into the drug's stability at higher temperatures we don't know how your delivery may have been affected. It's not worth the risk.

While we don't know the agreed liability involved in your shipment transport agreement, your pharmacy may be interested to know that they can buy fairly cheap, over temperature indicators. zebra.com/ap/en/products/te...

The above is just an example. I have no knowledge of that product. It's just so frustrating when your pharmacy is trying to do the right thing, only for the delivery company to mess up.

Neil

[Gman2 in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil! I live about 75 mi from the hospital and UPS picked up the package sends it about 500mi away to Kentucky and then back to me. So much for common sense. It makes as much sense as the rest of the world right now.

[CaptRon1976 in reply to Gman2]

Is it possible for you to drive the 75 miles to pick them up fresh?

[SofiaDeo]

Mine are shipped Fedex "next day, signature required, before noon delivery guaranteed". They occasionally come as late as 2pm, but mostly on time. My boxes haven't been hot to the touch.

[Gman2 in reply to SofiaDeo]

Thank you for your reply. I contacted a supervisor at UPS and he informed me that it would arrive on Monday. I informed him that it was temperature sensitive and he was unaware of that as well as the location during my conversation. I was able to cancel receiving the order. I'm sure the hospital pharmacy is going to be upset. I hope they don't give me the same meds when I go there on Monday. I am schedule for bloodwork and the second evusheld injection. Any thoughts? Thanks

[SofiaDeo in reply to Gman2]

Well, the meds don't sit on a truck over the weekend, but they do sit in a not-so-air conditioned warehouse unless marked/packaged "temperature sensitive". If the order was cancelled, my understanding is UPS never picked it up so kept in climate-controlled pharmacy. See if the pharmacy can include a freezer pack during the summer if it needs to be shipped and can't be done overnight? If they ship refrigerated injectables they will have small packs. Also, UPS has Overnight options, one of these should be chosen. Fedex is telling me, since the insured cost of the drugs is so high, they mandate overnight/signature required. And UPS apparently has 3 overnight options:

easyship.com/blog/ups-overn...

Which kind of makes me wonder if the pharmacy is appropriately insuring the meds. Packages occasionally do get lost/misplaced.

[NaturalWaze]

I would call the hospital pharmacy and let them know what happened…they should know that UPS changed the delivery and perhaps UPS would be liable. Good for you for even thinking of this!

[Gman2 in reply to NaturalWaze]

Thank you for your thoughts. I am planning to call them on my way there so they can get the meds ready for me after my appointments. I know it’s probably not a big deal but it’s very upsetting especially since the last meds were actually hot and I reported that to them. I feel they minimized my concern. And now this. I was probably more upset than I should have been. Thanks

[Mick519]

I receive mine from hospital pharmacy/UPS and it’s shipped in cooler with ice packs.

[Gman2 in reply to Mick519]

Thank you. I think that’s what they should do. I think it’s laziness and negligence on the part of the hospital pharmacy. UPS shares part of the blame as well.

[bayside64 in reply to Mick519]

Mine, too, with signature required.