So it seems that I will be starting Humira soon, and I am a bit worried about the shipping of it. My insurance requires me to get it through a mail order pharmacy. I live in an apartment, and they will not leave us packages but instead leave a slip telling us to go pick them up. This process usually takes at least 3 days depending on the shipping company. So I am wondering if anybody knows how long the Humira will last in the box with the ice packs? And even though I know all pharmacies are different, for those of you in the US, what company does your pharmacy uses to ship it (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.)? Thanks!
Shipping of Humira, Cimzia, etc.
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I get my Humira through Medco via UPS red. They deliver it to my door in the freezer packed styrofoam box. I would guess that the meds would stay good for at least 2 days, maybe three. I get mine packed up on the first day and shipped to me the next day by 10 am... so mines in there for at least 18-36 hours and its always fine... usually they put in like 5 or 6 ice packs and only one or two of them are slightly thawed by 10 am when its delivered.
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Most medical deliveries require a signature. If your apartment's office accepts this package, make them aware that the contents are to be brought to your apartment ASAP. If they cannot/will not, maybe you could have it shipped to your place of employment or a relatives house where someone may be home at time of delivery.
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I get Cimizia shipped and although they will leave it when given permission they say it's only packed to last 24 hrs at most. Actually, one time during a killer heat wave the ice was totally melted. They were supposed to replace the meds because the Cimzia people said it could have lost effectiveness, but that never happened. Those doses never did work that well however. I would definitely look into the options that others have mentioned. Good luck!
I call the day they are shipped for a tracking number (ups) and have the shipment sent to work. We get business deliveries much earlier than residential.
With the tracking number- I saw that one shipment was held up in the terminal and went to pick it up to avoid another day in transit. Humira rep said that the stability time was dependent on how well it was packed and temperature.
Good luck getting your delivery sorted out
With the tracking number- I saw that one shipment was held up in the terminal and went to pick it up to avoid another day in transit. Humira rep said that the stability time was dependent on how well it was packed and temperature.
Good luck getting your delivery sorted out
Thanks for the ideas everyone! Unfortunately, my family and all my friends that don't have the same mail situation as me live a few hours away. I am also not working right now so that is not an option. I have an appointment tomorrow so once I get everything with the doctor's office figured out I will try to find out the shipping company and see if they can somehow deliver it if I give special permission or at least give me a tracking number.
I have been on humira for a few years, and it will stay for a day or so, def not 2-3 days in the box they send, per the info from the maker. You can let it get to roughly 60 degrees for under 24 hours, but then it must be cooled to the recommended 36-46 degrees thereafter. Perhaps a UPS store will sign for it? I actually get mine left at the door and get it when i get home from work - -ask the shipper. Also get humira advantage to lower the cost. for travel i use medcooler which will keep it at 40 for over 24 hours at a shot - - amazing product.
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I meant from the time they put the medicine in the styrofoam box to ship it, it will last at least 2-3 days. It doesn't even reach its destination till day 2.
public health issue
It's a heat wave again and I just received 3 packages of Cimzia. The box closest to the two ice packs was cool. But the other two were warm.
This is the second time I've had this problem.
Cimzia is an expensive medication. I value my time and health and money too much to waste them on medicine that has needlessly gone bad.
It would be so easy to add an extra ice pack. They could simply put one on top and one below. Maybe one in between. Clearly these pharmaceutical companies don't have a policy that requires them to monitor conditions or adapt to heat waves or use common sense.
So when problems like this happen, I am committed to addressing them with the pharmaceutical services companies that deliver them, the insurance companies that hire them, the UCB Group of Companies (makers of Cimzia), and the FDA. I will use social media to expose these problems until smart policies are in place.
I urge you to do the same. Don't settle for medicine that has been destroyed by the heat. There's too much at stake for you and for all of us.
This is not an isolated or individual problem. It is a public health problem that requires better policy design to solve it. And it may take a public outcry to make that happen.
It's a heat wave again and I just received 3 packages of Cimzia. The box closest to the two ice packs was cool. But the other two were warm.
This is the second time I've had this problem.
Cimzia is an expensive medication. I value my time and health and money too much to waste them on medicine that has needlessly gone bad.
It would be so easy to add an extra ice pack. They could simply put one on top and one below. Maybe one in between. Clearly these pharmaceutical companies don't have a policy that requires them to monitor conditions or adapt to heat waves or use common sense.
So when problems like this happen, I am committed to addressing them with the pharmaceutical services companies that deliver them, the insurance companies that hire them, the UCB Group of Companies (makers of Cimzia), and the FDA. I will use social media to expose these problems until smart policies are in place.
I urge you to do the same. Don't settle for medicine that has been destroyed by the heat. There's too much at stake for you and for all of us.
This is not an isolated or individual problem. It is a public health problem that requires better policy design to solve it. And it may take a public outcry to make that happen.
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I live in Atlanta and never had a problem with my Cimzia being warm. Sometimes in the summer, I would have 8 ice packs in my delivery for one box of Cimzia. In the winter, it would come with one, partially frozen ice pack and a note explaining why it was only partially frozen. Sounds like your pharmacy has issues. Did you call them and send them back? If they have to do that a few times, and eat the cost, they'll learn.
Do you get a three month supply each delivery? Maybe you should do it monthly. It would be easier to keep cool.
Find out who they use as a carrier (Fed-ex, UPS Etc) and just have it held at a location near your house. I live in a condo and have a problem with some delivers I have found i just as easy if I am not going to be home to to go online to the tracking and set up a delivery to the local kinkos/Fed-Ex or UPS store.
Hi Michael,
Where did you find out about this info?
I am new to Humira and have just left the fridge door open for 10seconds or so and the temperature went up to 9 degrees Celsius and took 10minutes to get back down to 8.3 degrees Celsius. Not that far way from the 2-8degree range but quickly added ice packs and quickly within a few mins it got down to 5.5.
Any idea if it's still going to be useable after the two week period?
I realize this is an old post, but just in case someone finds it while browsing: Your pharmacy can ship to the doctor's office so you know someone will be there all day and you can pick it up from them.
