Travelling with medication that needs to be kept cool calls for extra preparation. Whether you are going on holiday or on a business trip, you want to be sure your medication stays effective on the way. Unfortunately, mistakes are often made when transporting refrigerated medication. In this article, we list the five most common mistakes. That way, you know what to look out for and how to set off well prepared.
1. Using the wrong cooling bag
One of the biggest mistakes people make is using an unsuitable cooling bag. Not every bag that looks cool is actually suitable for transporting medication. An ordinary lunch bag or cooling bag intended for food and drink usually does not provide the right insulation or the constant temperature needed to keep medication safe. This is a risk especially on long journeys or at high temperatures.
For medication such as insulin or rheumatism medication, it is important that the temperature stays within a certain range. If it gets too warm or too cold, the medication may become less effective.
That is why it is wise to choose a cooling bag or cool box specially developed for medical purposes. There are passive cooling bags with gel packs, but also active cooling solutions such as electric cool boxes that you can connect to mains power or a power bank.
2. Not taking the ambient temperature into account
Another common mistake is underestimating the ambient temperature. In the Netherlands it is often not extremely hot, but if you travel to a hot country or spend a lot of time on the move in the sun, the temperature can rise quickly. In a car or boot, it can even exceed 40 degrees.
Even the best cooling bag has its limits. If the outside temperature is high and your cooling bag is on the road for a long time, the risk that the contents get too warm increases. So think carefully about your destination and the conditions in which you will be travelling.
If you are going to a tropical country, you need a cooling solution designed for this. For example, choose a bag with a longer cooling time or one that you can recharge along the way or top up with new gel packs.
3. Not measuring the temperature
Many people trust that their medication stays cool in the bag, but do not check this. That is understandable, but also risky. You do not always notice straight away whether the temperature has been too high, even though this can affect how well your medication works. Especially on longer trips or flights, it is wise to keep an eye on the temperature and to measure the temperature of your medication cooling bags.
One solution is to use a thermometer or data logger. This lets you easily check whether the temperature in your bag stays within safe limits.
Some thermometers give a signal if the temperature deviates, while others store the temperature data so you can check afterwards that everything went well. This gives extra certainty, especially if your medication is vital.
4. Putting medication in checked luggage
It may seem handy to put your medication in your checked luggage during your flight, especially if you are only allowed one piece of hand luggage. Yet this is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when travelling with refrigerated medication. In the hold of an aircraft, temperatures can drop sharply or fluctuate. In addition, you have no access to it during the flight.
If you need your medication during the journey or if you are delayed, you can run into problems. What's more, you never know for sure how long your luggage will be in transit or how it will be handled.
So always put your refrigerated medication in your hand luggage. Make sure you have a medical statement from your doctor and consider taking a copy of your prescription as well. That way, you avoid problems at customs or during security checks.
5. Not having a backup plan
What if your cooling bag breaks, the gel packs have thawed or you are unexpectedly delayed? Many travellers have no backup plan. This means they depend on a single cooling system, while travel is often unpredictable. Think of long waiting times at airports, traffic jams on the road or lost luggage.
It is therefore smart to think about a plan B. For example, take extra gel packs with you or choose a cooling system with a charger that you can charge via a USB port or mains power. Also make sure you know where you can freeze new gel packs at the airport or along the way. A cooling bag that you can reactivate or top up on the go gives you much more flexibility.
Before you travel, it is always wise to check with your pharmacy or treating doctor. They can advise you on the storage temperature of your medication, how long it can be kept outside the fridge and which travel statement you may need. In some cases, they can also help you with spare parts for the journey.
Well prepared for your trip with Medicooler
At Medicooler, we help people every day who need to transport medication cool. Whether you are going on holiday, taking a long-distance trip or regularly travelling for work, we have solutions tailored to medical needs. From compact cooling bags to advanced electric cool boxes.
Want to be sure you are well prepared to travel with your medication? Take a look at our products and tips on Medicooler.nl or contact us for personal advice.