Medicines storage study | Our research

Medicine storage: Understanding patient practices and safety risks in England

This study looked at where adult patients in England keep their prescribed medicines at home and if they understand safe storage conditions. It involved 283 participants who completed a survey about their daily habits and the reasons behind their choices. The goal was to see if current home environments might be harming medicine stability and if patients receive enough safety guidance.

Why is this important?

Most medicines in the UK are meant to be kept at temperatures up to 25°C. If they get too hot, the active ingredients can break down, which might reduce how well the medicine works or even make it toxic. Today, more patients are managing their health at home instead of in hospitals to improve comfort and reduce hospital pressure. However, this shift creates new challenges. With UK heatwaves increasing, an estimated 15.7 million homes now reach indoor temperatures above 26°C.

How was the study carried out?

To get a real-world picture of domestic habits, researchers spent 8 weeks between August and September 2024 gathering insights from 283 adults across England. Anyone over 18 who had been prescribed medication could join. Rather than running a traditional clinical trial in a lab, the team went straight to the patients. They handed out paper questionnaires at two busy East Kent hospitals, William Harvey Hospital and Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where participants could drop their honest, anonymous answers into secure collection boxes. To capture an even wider audience, the researchers also took the survey online, sharing QR codes across social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram. By asking straightforward questions about daily habits and knowledge, the study painted a vivid picture of how people actually treat their medicines at home compared to the strict safety guidelines set by manufacturers.

What did the study find?

The study found that convenience heavily drives where people keep their medication. The most common spot was the kitchen at 64%, followed by the bedroom at 32% and the bathroom at 19%. People chose these places for easy access, child safety, and visual reminders. Reassuringly, 83% kept medicines in their original packaging. However, 59% of people were unaware that bad storage carried any hazards. Furthermore, 47% had never received any advice from a healthcare professional about safe storage.

What did this mean for participants?

Many patients are keeping their medicines in kitchens and bathrooms, which are rooms prone to extreme heat and humidity. Because people want their medicines to be visible and easy to reach, they might accidentally reduce the effectiveness of their treatments. The study showed that most patients are very likely to follow storage instructions, but a lack of regular advice leaves them guessing.

What does this mean overall?

Overall, domestic medicine storage is driven by everyday convenience rather than clinical awareness. The high rate of storage in kitchens is concerning during warmer months. A key limitation is that the study mainly surveyed the Kent region and did not record exactly which medicines people were taking. However, the results clearly show that unsafe storage practices will likely continue without better patient education.

What happens next?

Future research should involve broader nationwide surveys and physically measure the temperature and humidity inside patients' homes. Meanwhile, pharmacy professionals need to start including practical, seasonal storage advice during routine patient consultations.