BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Summer heat could be quietly destroying prescription medications without any visible warning signs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a car can heat up nearly 20 degrees in just the first 10 minutes, even with the windows open.
Most prescription medications need to be stored cool and dry, so heat can damage or destroy the medicine. The CDC says inhalers can burst in hot environments, EpiPens may malfunction, and insulin and other medicine may become less effective.
UAB St. Vincent’s Senior Director of Pharmacy Brandi Nichols says damaged pills often look perfectly fine but may not work…