A Guide to: Pharmacy Fridges

Unlike domestic refrigerators, purpose-built pharmacy fridges are carefully designed to meet both the needs of pharmacists and the safe storage of medicines in line with manufacturers’ instructions.

Pharmacies store a wide variety of medicines and vaccines, many of which will require refrigeration.

Pharmacy fridges are designed to store these temperature-sensitive healthcare products at their optimum temperature, ensuring they remain safe and effective for use.

Why Buy a Pharmacy Fridge?

Pharmacy fridges boast many features that help prevent critical healthcare products from becoming spoiled and going to waste. By storing your medications and vaccines safely, you’ll be helping to protect your customers and guarantee they receive the most beneficial medical care when they need it.

Pharmacy fridges come in a range of different sizes, configurations, and with varying features, so it’s crucial to choose the right one for your specific needs.

Here are the main features of a pharmacy fridge to help you make an informed buying decision:

Temperature Control

The primary function of a pharmacy fridge is to maintain a consistent temperature range to keep medications and vaccines safe. Pharmacy fridges have a temperature range of +2°C to +8°C (also known as the cold chain), which is ideal for storing most medications and vaccines.

For healthcare products requiring refrigeration, the NHS Green Book states they should be kept within a “recommended temperature range of +2˚C to +8˚C until the point of administration”, which pharmacy fridges are specifically designed to do.

Ideally, these products should be stored at a temperature of +5°C – the midpoint in the +2°C to +8°C range.

It is essential to choose a pharmacy fridge with accurate temperature control and monitoring to prevent temperature fluctuations that could affect the integrity of vaccines and medications.

CoolMed pharmacy fridges are all fitted with an inbuilt iCool temperature probe that accurately monitors and stabilises drug temperatures.

Alarm Systems

Pharmacy fridges should have alarm systems that alert users when there is a temperature deviation or other issues that could affect the safety of stored medications.

At CoolMed, all our pharmacy fridges come fitted with audible and visual temperature alarms that sound in the event of a power failure, if the refrigerator door is left open, or if the internal temperature fluctuates for any other reason.

Fridge Size & Capacity

Pharmacy fridges come in various sizes and capacities, ranging from small countertop pharmacy fridges to large, free-standing, double-door fridges that can store thousands of vaccines at once.

It’s important to note that pharmacy fridges should not be overstocked – there should be at least a 1cm gap between products to limit cross-contamination and to allow air to flow freely around the internal chamber of the fridge.

It is crucial to choose a fridge that can accommodate your current inventory and can comfortably fit into the space you have available. Keep in mind that larger fridges are more expensive, however they might be a good investment if your pharmacy is likely to expand and grow in the future.

Door Type

Pharmacy fridges usually come with different door types, including solid doors and glass doors.

Glass doors allow pharmacists to view the contents of their fridge without opening it, which can help reduce internal temperature fluctuations. However, solid doors provide better insulation, making them more energy efficient.

At CoolMed we offer our small, medium and large pharmacy fridges in both solid and glass door versions, allowing customers to choose the best option for their healthcare premises.

Cooling System

All CoolMed pharmacy fridges feature a compressor and a high-quality internal fan that work together to stabilise internal refrigerator temperatures. Together the compressor and fan provide efficient and low-noise cooling with reliable and consistent temperatures.

Contact CoolMed

By considering the factors above, you should be able to choose a pharmacy fridge that’s suitable for your specific healthcare needs. Our pharmacy fridge range starts as low as £429.99 for a small solid door pharmacy fridge.

If you’d like to speak to us regarding our range of pharmacy fridges or would like help choosing the correct fridge for your pharmacy, please call us on 0161 772 5666, or email us at info@coolmed.co.uk. Our team are always happy to help!Bottom of Form