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Transporting Medicine

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
Hi All.

I have a feeling this is not the most intelligent question but here it is:

I am going to be transporting some immunoglobulin. It has to be refrigerated at all times, between 2 and 8 degrees Celcius (36 - 46 F).

I have a great cooler, foam, and ice packs for this purpose. The problem is, the containers I will be using will have empty space in them after I put the medication in. I want to fill this space because they say it is better to have less empty space and because I don't want the medication to move around.

My question is: what should I fell this empty space with? I have foam pellets but won't this insulate the medicine too much from the foam and ice packs around the container and prevent proper cooling? Should I use some scrunched up paper instead?

Thanks a lot
Daffodil
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
If it was me, I'd have the ice pack wrapped just a little in something eg paper towel.. (so not to freeze your med!!! by being next to it but dont overwrap). and then put them together, next to each other in a plastic bag in your cooler

This is how I had to send urine, spit and blood samples overseas out of Australia or interstate .. and then fill the rest with with the foam to stop things moving around.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
If it was me, I'd have the ice pack wrapped just a little in something.. (so not to freeze your med!!! by being next to it). and then put them together, next to each other in a plastic bag in your cooler (this is how I had to send blood sample overseas out of Australia) .. and then fill the rest with with the foam to stop things moving around.
thanks tania. this cooler is sort of like that....it has the ice packs wrapped in a foam thingie....but i ordered a cooler that is much too large with these big plastic containers in it for the medicine...so i have to use this containers.

i tested it with empty containers and it took 9 hrs for it to go up by just 1 degree! this must be a great cooler, which is good since I will need it to work for over 16 hrs.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
i think paper or plastic should do the trick. there shouldnt be condensation in there.....ugh my brain is so bad i cannot even make sense of the simplest things.

wonder why i am suddenly doing so poorly
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
You'll need to put the cooler in a plastic bag or the condensation created will make the inside of your luggage wet. I learned the hard way.
 

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
Bubble wrap will work. It will contract just a little bit when cold, but should be fine for filling dead space, cushioning and will help retain cool temp created by ice packs.

If you happen to be staying in a hotel prior to transporting you could wrap the immunoglobulin in a bath towel or hand towel and place it in the refrigerator for an hour or more prior to putting it in the cooler.

I'm not sure what size "ice packs" you intend to use, but if they are large make sure they are frozen! The TSA may not let you carry an unfrozen oversized (over 3.5 ounces per TSA 3-1-1 adherence rule) ice pack as a carry-on item. You can check at this link here for more information.

There have been instances of diabetics transporting insulin, but they were using "gel ice packs" (which will not freeze solid) over 3.4 ounces in size and were not allowed to carry it on the plane.

There is also additional information about transporting medicine as a carry-on at this link here.