The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised pharmacists and patent medicine dealers to store medicines with due care, to sustain their shelf life and potency. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Mr. Venatius Ihekire, NAFDAC Assistant Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday.
Ihekire noted that the expiry period of pharmaceutical products had meaning only if the products were stored under proper conditions. The assistant director said that otherwise, the products were likely to lose their potency before the actual date of expiry. He said that storage of medicines and other medicine-related products is an important requirement of good pharmacy practice, to maintain their potency and ensure the physical integrity of the medicines.
Ihekire said that direct storage of medicine cartons on the floor should be avoided because besides being an unhealthy practice, the contents may be damaged by moisture. He added that some medicines have to be refrigerated or stored in a cool or cold place, while others need to be stored in closed shelves to prevent dust from going in.
Ihekire noted that being diligent in storing medicines, under the required storage condition ensured that the end-user gets the most out of the medicines for the protection of their health and others.
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