Anyone else receiving non-chilled Mounjaro

[WarmMJ]

Pen turned up completely unchilled. Ice packs were totally thawed. Farmeci are saying all fine as long as the pen didn’t go above 30 degrees, but how can I (or they) know that when it arrives at ambient temperature, given the hot weather?

Farmeci are wrong, they need to supply the medication chilled, at 2 to 8 degrees. They aren’t allowed to use any of the room temperature 30 days when delivering to the customer.

https://medical.lilly.com/uk/products/answers/how-should-the-mounjaro-tirzepatide-kwikpen-be-stored-217607

On this page it clearly says that “During shipping and storing by wholesalers, health care professionals (HCPs) and pharmacies, Mounjaro must be kept between 2°C and 8°C.

The 30-day room temperature exposure allowance refers to the used pen, and wholesalers, distribution Centers, HCPs and pharmacies cannot use any part of this allowance.”

I’d quote that back to Farmeci and see what they say.

Yes mine was defrosted and felt warm to touch. Pillsorted are sending me a new one, having posted it back.

Thank you so much, @SilenceInside. That's so helpful 🙏

And thanks, @U53rn8m3ch8ng3.

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago and they (IQDoctor) refused to send me a new one.

I’ve noticed that the effects are weaker this time.. more food noise despite going up from 2.5mg to 5mg, and finding weight loss has really slowed. Am convinced it’s because of the warmed up pen.

I wish I’d fought harder for a new pen!

good luck, hope you get a new one.

Farmeci are being completely negligent, @MountainsAndSheep. I copied GPhC into my email and they have logged that as an official report.

The BBC say that this week is our third heatwave this summer. Clearly the prescribers need to respond adequately when inevitably some pens turn up unchilled.

Farmeci have agreed to send a new pen and look at their internal communications. I think only because I copied in the GphC who immediately gave me a case reference number and said they will investigate.

www.pharmacyregulation.org/

They will have had to react if complaints to GPhC. I think many pharmacies are trying to prevent losses by saying pen is ok.

Oushk mentioned when talking about their inspection two customer complaints made it to the GPhC (over a period of 18 months) regarding warm pens. Then now have comments about temperature and packaging on their enforcement notice, possibly/probably triggered by the complaints.

If two complaints make it as far of the GPhC it probably raises a red flag there were many more where patients didn't know to go that route - so GPhC will take them very seriously.

I don't think anyone should knee jerk complain to GPhC, but if they exhaust communication with their supplier like you have it is probably the next place to go.

If the pharmacy breach the instructions in Eli Lilly's Medical Information for HCPs, then I am absolutely going to raise it with the GPhC. I don't think the term "knee jerk" has any relevance here, @WeAllHaveWings.

The GPhC are clear on their website about what they will and won't investigate, if anyone is unsure.

I had the same with Oushk. They refused to replace pen and said it was ok to use. It has put me off them. Oushk said the pen had been delivered within 48 hours so it was fine to use even though ice pack had melted and the pen did not feel cool at all to the touch. I didn’t complain to GPhC but maybe I should have done.

I have one pen still on order with them which I am nervous about receiving in this warm weather but I am trying to time it so I receive it just in time for my weekly jab. If it turns up warm again I will definitely register a complaint.

I have found a pharmacy where I can actually pick a pen up and use my own cool box. A cool pen is worth the extra cost and inconvenience imho

You can email Ousk and say that after your previous experience you are worried about the next pen, @Pumpkinforever. Just copy GPhC in: [email protected].

These pharmacies are making considerable profits out of online Mounjaro prescriptions, the least they can do is to follow Eli Lilly’s instructions.

Out of interest do they just send one ice pack, most send two with the pen packed in between.

I’m with Cloud and my pen arrived warm and I told them that because I am using 15mg which is in short supply I was ordering well in advance and they said that because I’d received the pen within 24 hrs (not sure that’s true, I’m away on holiday at the moment and I’d have to check) that it would be ok to use if it had been stored in the fridge. Is this correct?

I think you have misread my sentence or intent. It says/meant it is only fair to give the supplier a chance to sort it out first, but if they don’t/refuse as you have found and you exhaust discussions with them going to GPhC is then right next thing to do.

Following as I am due to reorder tomorrow and nervous abut hear.

No. Look at the second post in this thread. It's explained there by @SilenceInside.

Ah, apologies @WeAllHaveWings. In the recent heatwaves it's clearly easy for a pen to arrive at ambient temperature, and if the pharmacy replace it without quibble then of course there's no need to involve the GPhC.

Ordered yesterday, arrived today with full frozen blocks as usual

I had the same problem with Zava. My pen went missing in the post and arrived 8 days after posting. They said it was still OK to use within 30 days, even though was obviously no longer chilled, but I wasnt happy with that, so they eventually agreed to replace it, after a bit of a battle. I've changed suppliers now, and that was one of the reasons

I used to use Chemist4U and it came not only with ice packs, but in an insulated bag. Like a packed lunch type affair.

One ice pack inside a wool cool bag thing.

I used to be with Lloyds. Never had issues with their two solid ice blocks and wool wrapping only their higher prices made me change.

Right, I think most places use 2 ice blocks and the wool cool bag thing, I have ordered with Voy and Simple online pharmacy, med express and they all do this.

Maybe this is something Oushk need to do, that way they fall in line with other pharmacies. I don’t think the pen has been effective and took the 4th jab this week. I am not going to take the 5th dose from it. I have a pen on order with them so I just need to get it

Maybe Oushk are struggling getting their ice packs properly frozen before despatch.

Farmeci also only used one ice pack in a wool bag. It seems a false economy with this ongoing hot weather.

Didn't they have something in their enforcement notice about making sure pens were delivered cold?

I can only think it is cost cutting, maybe the ice packs are heavy and cost more in postage? Not sure.

Mine has arrived not chilled but that was due to the post office not the pharmacy. My parcel was lost and no one knew where it was. It took 2 weeks to find at a random post office in town of which there are many. I had travelled around town trying to find it visiting different ones and no one had it. By the time it was found it was warm.

Previous ones and ones after came cold.