Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International

So-called ‘cold’ medicines are drugs that must be stored at a temperature between 2°C and 8°C. In the pharmaceutical market, the proportion of thermolabile medicines is steadily increasing with the development of recombinant DNA technology.

Throughout its lifecycle, a thermolabile drug undergoes multiple stages of storage and transport between various stakeholders, and the cold chain must be maintained to ensure the quality and safety of the product.

A break in the cold chain may result from a lack of resources, training, or information. Indeed, healthcare professionals are not always aware of the impact or risk associated with a cold chain failure. Such a breach can pose a triple risk for the healthcare institution: a health risk due to the alteration of the drug’s quality, which may affect its efficacy and patient safety, a financial risk, and a regulatory risk.

This study was carried out within the special status product management unit (UGPSP) of the Mohammed V Military Instruction Hospital in Rabat. This is a prospective study which was carried out by a resident pharmacist of the department with the objective of evaluating the cold chain management circuit for thermolabile drugs. It was spread over a period of 2 months from January 1 to March 1, 2025 with the following objectives:

• To evaluate the cold chain process from the reception to the dispensing of thermolabile products to patients, in order to identify weaknesses in the system.
• To ensure the continuity of this chain with patients and their administration methods, in order to guarantee the drug’s efficacy during its use.

This study highlighted good control of the cold chain within the pharmacy department, particularly during the reception and storage of thermolabile drugs by a qualified team. However, the dispensing stage remains the weak point of the chain and still requires improvements.