[e-drug] WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Joint statement on management of oxytocin

e-drug
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E-DRUG: WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Joint statement on management of oxytocin
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WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA JOINT STATEMENT

Appropriate Storage and Management of Oxytocin - a Key Commodity for Maternal Health

WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA have issued a joint statement regarding the management of oxytocin, a medicine essential to the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage as well as other indications.

The management of oxytocin is critical to ensuring that it is effective when it reaches women, including procurement, cold chain management and clear and consistent labelling.

Please read the link to the joint statement for specific details.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/311524/WHO-RHR-19.5-eng.pdf

Lisa Hedman
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
"HEDMAN, Lisa" <hedmanl@who.int>

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E-DRUG: WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Joint statement on management of oxytocin (2)
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Dear Lisa,

Thank you for the article. There are some brands of oxytocin where it is
claimed that they are stable at room temperature, what do you have to say
about it?

This has brought in confusion and some proprietors are not adhering to the
2-8 degres celcius.

Is it the active ingredient not stable or the active ingredient and
excipients making all brands unstable at room temperature?

Thank you.

Regards,

Sarah Taratwebirwe
Technical Officer- District support
Pharmaceuticals and Health Technologies
Management Sciences for Health
Uganda-Kampala Uganda
"Taratwebirwe, Sarah" <staratwebirwe@uhsc.ug>

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E-DRUG: WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Joint statement on management of oxytocin (3)
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Dear Sarah Taratwebirwe,
you correctly write that there are some brands of oxytocin which are
claimed to be stable at room temperature. At our university, we are
working on oxytocin quality.

From our observations so far, I strongly agree with WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA and also USAID & Co in their conclusion:

"Buy quality oxytocin, keep it cool."
Even oxytocin preparations which are claimed to be stable at room temperature should be stored at 2-8 °C.

Best wishes
Nhomsai Hagen
University of Tubingen
Germany
Nhomsai Hagen <nhomsai.hagen@uni-tuebingen.de>