Temperature Issues in Besremi due to poor packag... - MPN Voice

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Temperature Issues in Besremi due to poor packaging during shipping...

PhysAssist profile image
6 Replies

Hi all,

I may have mentioned this before, but while my response to the maximal dosage of Besremi has been measurable in other ways, my Hct control has been off and on.

Most of the time SWMBO is at home to receive and sign for the monthly delivery of Besremi, so it wasn't until I was out of work [from 5/23 until 9/23] that I was home to accept its delivery.

On doing so, I immediately noticed that the outer carton was very warm- my non-contact thermometer read 78 degrees F.

Then once I opened it, despite being in an insulated Mylar bag inside the shipping carton, the little inner-bubble-wrapped bag containing my 2 doses of Besremi was perched on top of them and not covered by any of the little reusable 'blue ice' packs- so I checked the temperature before I removed it from the outer bag and carton, and it read 54 F. [It was the same temp inside the bubble wrap.]

The pile of ice packs it was sitting on was measured at 36 F. I was of course immediately concerned, because the maximum recommended temperature for Besremi's shipping and storage is 46 F.

Since it was the first time I saw it, I thought it might just have been a fluke, so I asked SWMBO, and she said that all the shipment she had received were packed that way.

I waited until the next month, and again measured the outer carton's temp, the bubble wrap exterior temp. the medication box inside the bubble wrap, and the ice packs,- and I took photos to document the findings.

I contacted Roswell Park's oncology pharmacist and sent him the history, supported by the pictures, with the question:

"Could the medication having been out of the specified temperature range for storage and shipping cause it to be less potent or efficacious?"

He did some research and replied in the affirmative, then suggested that I contact Onco360 and advise them of what was happening.

I emailed them with no response, so I called and told my tale to a customer service operator, who to her credit wasted no time at all in getting a pharmacist on the line with us.

I told him my concerns, and he was less than interested, but said that he would address the problem by making sure to inform the person who packed the medication for shipping to "put more ice packs into the package".

I assured him that the inside of the package was quite cold enough, and that all that needed to ber done was to put half the current number of ice packs in, then put the medicine in, and cover it with the remainder of the ice packs. He did not appear to be listening any longer.

As you might expect, the shipments we have been receiving since that call have been somewhat heavier- because they did increase the number of ice packs, but what they didn't do was to cover the medication in them.

Thus the medication is still arriving with a temperature in the mid to upper 50's F [for the last 2 times 8/23 and 9/23].

Has anyone else had similar issues with their medication shipments?

If you were, would you next contact the manufacturer directly about the pharmacy's handling of their medication, the FDA, anyone?

Finally, the number of the re-usable 'blue ice' packs being stored in our basement is getting a bit ridiculous, but although they say that they're recyclable, no recycler in our area will handle them- does anyone have any suggestions as to who might be able to find some use for them?

Thanks for reading!

Best,

PA

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hunter5582 profile image
hunter5582

I did have to tell the Johns Hopkins pharmacy to be aware of the need to put the Besremi boxes in a plastic bag to ensure they did not get soggy. I shifted back to the Biologics pharmacy and have never had an issue with packaging since then. On one occasion FedEx put my delivery on the wrong truck. Biologics was prepared to have the delivery returned and replaced. Fortunately were able to sort it out in time due to intervention by my regular driver who knows what is in the shipment.

I would do several things in the circumstance you describe. I would contact Pharmaessentia to get their input and make them aware of the situation. If they advise that the medication needs to be replaced, then I would contact the pharmacy and insist that the Besremi be replaced at their expense. I would also suggest shifting pharmacies. I have had great service from Biologics. The shipping department, nursing support team and pharmacists are all very helpful.

All the best.

PhysAssist profile image
PhysAssist in reply tohunter5582

Hi Hunter,

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply [as always!]

I will of course do as you suggest- however, I'm not sure if I can get Roswell to change pharmacies, as this was the second one they tried to get to send me the medication.

Thanks again,

Thomas

Anag profile image
Anag

I find it incredible that something so sinfully expensive is delivered so carelessly. People’s lives depend on it. What happens if it goes bad? Is it dangerous?

I order it at the pharmacy and in the summer, I pick it up in a 6C (40F) tiny cooler and bring it home. In the fall winter, I’m home in 10“ so it doesn’t matter. This is such a delicate situation.

PhysAssist profile image
PhysAssist in reply toAnag

Agree, and even without considering the considerable expense, the fact that it is a vital and [hopefully] life-altering treatment should get it treated with a bunch more respect.

I wish that your situation was an option for me...

Thanks,

PA

NickPV profile image
NickPV

Hello - Similar to you, I am also on Besremi (since March '23), being delivered from Onco360 and I'm also a patient of Roswell Park. Small world.

My deliveries are similar to yours, overnight and usually delivered by 10AM the next day - exact same packaging it sounds like.

I didnt have concerns over the shipping temperatures - but I had concerns because I was going on a cruise back in May and would have to travel with the Besremi and away from refregeration for a minimum of 14 hours - and then having to store it in my stateroom's cooler for a few days.

I didnt contact ONCO360, I went right to the manufacturer Pharmaessentia in Mass. Extremely nice and responsive, on the same call, customer service transferred me to a product specialist who explained that they had done shipping studies where the medication was at "room temperature" for 72 hours and the medication did not lose potency.

On the same call - the product specialist said to transport it similar to keeping Insulin "cool" but to absolutely NOT to freeze the product. They were more concerned about that possibility when traveling.

PhysAssist profile image
PhysAssist in reply toNickPV

Hi NickPV,

Thank you for the reassuring news.

When I talked to the Oncology Pharmacist at Roswell, he said that he looked into it and that the temp being out of range was truly an issue, but as always, we have to consider the source, and since Pharmessentia is that, I'll happily take their word as gospel [with you as their prophet].

😀

Thanks again,

PA

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