the abbvie nurse said it was fine and could even survive 20 hours at 96 degrees.   not sure what the max duration at over 86, but they did stability tests 

and found that it could survive high temps for several hours.

I'm not going to worry about it anymore.

dm

Continuing my 7/26 post, this thread.  Today I placed the thermometer on the landing outside the door instead of between the doors, and within 15 minutes the temp read 120 degrees - that's as high as my thermometer goes, so it's could have been even hotter.  Crazy hot!!!

There is absolutely no shade around our house, so we're going to try a picnic cooler with a chunk of dry ice.  I think that will solve the problem and give me one less thing to think about.  Like someone else said, if it gives us a 1% better chance to slay the dragon, it's worth $2 in dry ice each month.  Small price to pay!

My first shipment of Harvoni came in overnight and it was fine. My second one also had me worried about temps as they were shipping it regular FedEx and the temps where I live were in the low 100's. I called the pharmacy and they said it would be ok. Called Gilead and they said it would be ok. Talked to my doctor and he laughed and said it would be ok. Got my package in a box with bubble wrap and am just praying they are all right!

It is a relief!

and I'm all set for week 5.

dm

Hi Drummer, it must be a big relief to know the drugs will be ok to use!

I`ve been following this thread and I`m glad to hear that Abbvie support were so helpful, that`s always good to hear.

This is very useful information for anyone else who finds themselves in the same position during the hot weather, thanks for reporting back! 

My first 2 shipments came in those swell styrofoam coolers. Wife grabbed them right up from FedEx. No ice, it was springtime then. Then the last shipment came as a cardboard box with "bubble" wrap- no ice packets. Maybe the styrofoam was too costly. They do make as Tig said, great coolers for drinks. I would be more worried about rain and moisture on them. AbbVie is excellent all around. I agree Tig it is like handling gold!  So be there when the scheduled delivery time is due.

yep.

I wish the pharmacy at online pharmacy had been able to explain it like the techs at abbvie.  Made total sense.

dm

Thanks for the update Drummer. I felt you were in the clear, but it's always nice to have it confirmed by the manufacturer. Now we know!

Just had another call from abbievie from a nurse.

She told me that it was fine and would have even been good if it had been 20  hours at 96.

I feel better.

And the abbvie people were super nice!

dm

Hi dm,

I understand your concern.  Most of these high dollar meds are shipped overnight so it's unlikely they have been compromised.  Depending upon where you live, you could ask for the meds to held at the local UPS or FedEx office and pick them up there.  I never worried about my Harvoni, and I'm sure it got hot.  So far so good,  go for 12 eot week labs this week.  Hoping and praying for SVR.

Just talked to abbvie pharmacist on phone.  She asked me how long I  thought is was at 96 degrees.  I guessed 6 hours.  She said according to their stability studies, the medicine is fine.   I then asked her what if it had been at 96 degrees for 20 hours , she checked her chart and said that it would be fine.  I asked her what the extreme was time wise, and she wouldn't /couldn't tell me.   She had to have "case by case" basis.  I guess I could have just kept throwing times at her until I got to the one where it goes bad.  She could not tell me how abbvie instructs online pharmacies to ship because that was not her dept.   I wish now I had asked her to connect me to that dept.

I am going to assume the medicine is good, and hope everyone down the line kept at the proper storage temp.   But kind of scary when you think about it.

dm

hopefully...

although the printed literature says to store at 86 degrees or below.

but  i'm thinking (hoping) storage and brief shipping interludes are two different things.  At the most my meds were over 86 degrees for 5-6 hours.

dm

Maybe the fact that it doesn't come packed in dry ice means it's not heat sensitive?  Guess we're gonna find out.

I wish a tech or abbvie rep would post something about this.

I hear they monitor these sites,

dm

Well, this could all turn out not to be  a problem, if the abbvie tech says they can endure high temps for x number of hours.  Will find out monday and post.

weird thing though, when I was getting riba and peg , it always came with dry ice... same company too.

dm

So I put a thermometer between my front door and storm door, where I told the pharmacy the meds should be delivered.  After only three hours it was 113 degrees fahrenheit, and it was only 87 outside.  Guess I'll be updating those instruction.  Thanks again, Drummerman, for bringing this up.

true that.

I, in fact , stayed home all day to receive package and am usually able to do so.

I will talk to Abbvie tech on monday.  It may be fine for this drugs to be left in the heat for a few days.  who knows.  will find out.

I may have already said this, but my pharmacist sister in law was shocked, .... not so much about the heat, but that the company would not take every precaution possible , with such and expensive med.  My one package is over 10,000.00 u.s..

Even insulin comes with ice, and it can endure some heat.

hey, wmlj1960,  my shipments come from memphis,  you think they would now how efing hot it is and take precautions.   idiotic.

dm

Remember too, if your shipment is coming by FedEx or UPS, you can request to have it left at your local facility and go pick it up yourself. They are responsible for proper handling and storage that way. If you think you might be delayed in getting home to your package or are concerned about security, this might be another option. Is it possible to have it delivered to another address where someone will be there to accept it? You can also have it delivered to a neighborhood UPS Store and pay a small fee. It will receive the same security and temperature controlled environment as the main facility, but at a small cost. Just a thought....

 My first shipment of Harvoni was delivered yesterday packed in a Styrofoam container with some bubble rap with no ice pack etc. but considering it was shipped overnight and delivered at 11:30am I feel like it's fine. BUT, if there is a delivery problem or any delay in future shipments the lack of an ice pack could become an issue depending on where and for how long the container is kept until the delivery issue is resolved. I plan to contact my specialty pharmacy Monday to request a more 'error proof' packaging for future shipments.

 Not only is this stuff more valuable than gold - replacement of a shipment could cause a missed dose (s) which is and unacceptable consequence considering the price of ice packs.

EDIT: I'm in the south too (Memphis TN area) and it was 95 degrees here yesterday.

D-man,

I'm so glad you posted about this.  It's not as hot here as where you are, but my delivery instructions are to leave the package between the front door and the storm door.  I was only thinking about keeping it out of the rain.  But my door is on the sunny side of the house, and my meds come packed in a cardboard box with some bubble wrap; nothing that would keep them from getting too hot.

Our high today is supposed to be about 90, so I put a thermometer between the doors to see just how hot it gets.  Thanks for making me aware of this.

Penny

Thanks Tigg,

that makes me feel better.  I am now awaiting a call back from Abbvie tech.  They said they would call me back in the next 24 hrs as I called right at quitting time.

dm

Hey Drummer,

That's pretty warm but these drugs can withstand fairly high temps over the short term, some even last a considerably long time. If you're real concerned, you can call Viekira support at 1-844-484-3547 and seek their advice. Our member Malekula Man had the same concern about Sovaldi and I realize it's a different animal, but Gilead told him it could withstand temperatures of over 100-122 degrees F for 30 days. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I'm still surprised that the drugs weren't in a chilled container. Every shipment of my drugs came in heavy styrofoam coolers with about 5 reuseable ice packs in each one. I've got an ample supply of both and those coolers are great for the beach or fishing! The pharmacy that shipped it to you is responsible for assuring they are packaged properly. I'd find out who dropped the ball and tell them that kind of error shouldn't be allowed to happen. The stuff is exponentially more valuable than gold by the ounce! Good luck...

Just received my first refill (thankfully a week before I need it).  Its very hot here in the south, and it did not arrive until 1pm via ups.  So I measure the temp with my temp gun and it was 96 degrees in the styrofoam container.

So I called the online pharmacy, which has been a constant source of errors and incompetence and was told by the pharmacist that they had had issues before and were told by the manufacturer that it can be store at up to 100 degrees.  (which I thought was total bs)... but she did say I could do a return and someone would call hopefully by next tuesday and set up the return and replace and add ice.  She made agree that I would be responsible for the ice being added since that was not in the shipping instructions.  Are you kidding me ... its 95 degrees outside my window right not.  

Anyway, one part of me says I'm making too big a deal out of this but the other part says hell no,  I only get one shot and bad medicine could ruin it.

Been trying to find a number for Abbvie, but of course phone numbers are never listed on the net.  Wanted to see what they thought of a 96 degree shipment.

Arrggghhh.

so now another week of worrying about my refill.  I  hate online pharmacies.

dm