Rockville, MD – The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has proposed in the September-October 2004 Pharmacopeial Forum (PF) a new General Chapter Emergency Medical Services Vehicles and Ambulance-Storage of Preparations . The new chapter is intended to provide emergency medical personnel with guidance on handling and storing medications in emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles.
The new chapter provides guidelines for storage cabinet temperature monitoring, parking emergency vehicles to minimize temperature spikes, regular stock rotation for articles with low rates of turnover, portable carrying case storage and monitoring, storage and handling of sensitive preparations, and use of time-temperature indicators. It also contains a list of the most commonly used articles in EMS vehicles that have more stringent storage requirements.
“This proposed chapter provides an opportunity for health care professionals to discuss and comment on the unique situations and needs for storage of emergency medical medications and the impact on public health,” says Dr. Claudia Okeke, associate director for general policies and requirements in the Department of Standards Development at USP. “The chapter is an important step in addressing issues pertaining to the drug distribution chain.”
Publication of the new chapter in the PF is an opportunity for the public to provide comments before the chapter is finalized. The PF is USP’s journal of standards development and the primary vehicle for the public to provide input or comments on USP standards.
Comments on the proposed new chapter should be addressed to Dr. Okeke at USP, 12601 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20852. Additional questions pertaining to repackaging can be e-mailed to mediarelations@usp.org.