This document discusses good practices for storing pharmaceutical products in pharmacies. It emphasizes that medicines must be stored properly under the correct conditions to ensure their potency does not expire before the listed expiry date. Every pharmacy needs systems for secure, clean storage with accurate record keeping and stock rotation. Key requirements include preventing access from moisture, light, heat, pests and proper refrigeration. Standard operating procedures should be established in writing for all storage activities.

1. Good Storage Practice
Airene Barlin, RPh, MPH
FDRO II

2. (5)GPP- STORAGE AND STOCK
MANAGEMENT
• The expiry periods of pharmaceutical
products have meaning only if the
products are stored under proper
conditions, otherwise, products are
likely to lose their potency before the
actual date of expiry.

3. Every community pharmacy, however
large or small, needs to store and manage
its medicine stocks
effectively. There must be systems to
ensure
• Secure storage.
• Clean and correct environmental
conditions during storage.
• Accurate and effective record keeping.
• Effective stock rotation and expiry
monitoring.
• Effective fire and theft prevention.
• Effective rodent/ pest control

4. Sample Stock record card
Generic name: Chorionic gonadotrophin Strength: 5000
I.U
Dosage form: Injection
Code No: 8022 Unit price: Rs 450.00
DATE SUPPLIER QTY
RECEIVED
QTY
ISSUED
BALANCE REMARKS SIGNATURE
10/12/14 ACE DIST 100BXS 20BXS 80 10//2015 JANE

5. STORAGE-The
need for proper storage
• The storage of medicines and other
products is an important requirement of
Good Pharmacy Practice.
Appropriate storage of medicines is
essential –
Ø To ensure that the potency is maintained.
Ø To prevent
deterioration/spoilage/degradation.
Ø To ensure/maintain physical integrity.
Ø To ascertain that the quality and safety is
maintained throughout their shelf life.

6. Storage requirements need to be
considered on 2 aspects :
• A) Integrity Of Medicines: Medicines Should
Be Stored In Such A Way So As To Maintain
Their Integrity And
Potency.
• Maintain the right temperature required.
• Protect from excessive humidity.
• Keep medicines away from direct sunlight.
• Protect from pests and rodents.

7. b) Physical location
• Should be easy to locate.
• Accessible.
• Orderly/systematically placed.

8. • Storage according to
temperatures is a must, no matter
which pattern of storage is
followed. Also,
within a particular storage area,
segregated storage may be
maintained. In a refrigerator, for
example,
medicines may be stored in trays,
racks and the freezer, according
to the temperature required.

9. Whatever pattern of storage is selected,
all the personnel should ensure that
• The stocks are stored in an orderly
manner.
• The medicines are kept back in the same
place from where they were removed.
• All medicines are arranged neatly once
in a while.
• The personnel should be careful while
storing the medicines.
• They should not throw the medicines
haphazardly.

10. DONT’S

11. • Direct storage of cartons on the floor
should be avoided because, besides
being an unhealthy practice,
the contents may also be damaged by
moisture
DO NOT STORE
MEDICINE
CARTONS ON
THE FLOOR !!

12. DON’T’S

13. • Store medicines preferably in shelves with
glass shutters for visibility.
• Closed shelves further prevent dust from
going in, especially where most pharmacies
are located along busy roads.
• Some medicines have to be refrigerated or
stored in a cool or cold place. Having a
refrigerator or two(as per the need of the
pharmacy) is essential to store such
medicines at temperatures mentioned on the
label

14. Refrigeration
• All cold chain equipment should meet
required standards.
• Vaccines should not be stored on
refrigerator door shelves as they are
exposed to warmer temperatures each
time the door is opened. Vaccines should
always be stored on the middle shelves of
the refrigerator.
• Consumable products like juices, energy
drinks, etc., should not be stored along
with medicines in
refrigerators. If required, they may be
kept in a separate refrigerator.

15. Temperature/climatic
conditions:
• An air-conditioned environment where temperature
can be controlled is recommended for
• pharmacies. Air conditioning offers the option of
setting the temperature as per requirements.
• It is ideal to have an air conditioner to maintain the
temperature below 25 C, as most medicines
• require storage below this temperature. Secondly, this
temperature is pleasing to both the staff and the
• visiting customers, too.
In the absence of an air conditioner, circulating fans
may be used.

16. “YOU CAN BE A THERMOMETER.
If you feel hot, your medicines probably too feel
the same.”

17. Humidity or moisture control
• Moisture or humidity can
adversely affect the stability of
medicines such as tablets,
capsules, powders.
• Gelatin capsules become soft, and
swell on absorption of moisture
• The presence of moisture may
encourage the growth of
microbes. It is therefore
essential to control humidity.

18. • Calibrated thermometers and
manometers can be used to detect
temperature and humidity in the
pharmacy.
• Temperature charts should be available
for ready reference.
ABC PHARMACY TEMPERATURE CHART
Area: DISPENSING AREA
DATE TIME TEMP in ᵒC MONITORED BY

19. Storage conditions
Storage conditions Specifications
Cold Any temperature not
exceeding 80C (Between2C
and 8C)
Cool Any temperature between
8C and 25C
Room temperature Temperature prevailing in a
working area
Warm Any temperature between
30C and 40C
Excessive heat Any temperature above 40C

20. Stability issues:
Factors
Likely Effects on drug
Exposure to light Increased oxidation or
photochemical degradation
Exposure to air. Increased oxidation
Loss of vapor. Loss of water or volatile
solvents
Access to microorganisms Increased contamination,
growth, spoilage and
possible harmful effects
Access to moisture. Hydrolysis, damage to
powder, tablets and
capsules

21. (6) STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES
- It is important that the Pharmacy should
write out its own SOPs for the different
activities in the pharmacy
A SOP SPECIFIES IN WRITING:
- WHAT should be done
- WHEN it should be done
- WHERE it should be done
- By WHOM it should be done
- SOPs is a useful tool for training of a new
staff/recruit

22. Thank you