In the medical world, being able to effectively control the refrigeration devices that make up a cold chain is extremely important. Recently temperature monitoring software solutions have been introduced at all levels in the clinical and research fields as they allow for an extensive level of safety which was not possible in previous years. These innovative devices and programs allow healthcare workers to automatically record the conditions in the refrigeration equipment used and ensure that the biological products stored inside are always safe.
Indeed, temperature plays a key role in molecular dynamics as it can affect the stability of many compounds. The higher the temperature, the more the thermal energy can increase the chances of the chemical compositions breaking down and forming more stable compositions. In the medical world, high temperatures can lead to irreversible changes in the compounds present in various drugs, thus reducing their effectiveness.
This is especially true with vaccines as they are generally considered to be temperature-sensitive in nature: if exposed to inappropriate temperatures, their active components can degrade, thereby diminishing their effectiveness. Once degraded, vaccines will not be able to elicit the necessary immune response in the vaccinated patient. It is therefore essential to protect them from temperature variations by storing and transporting them safely from the point of manufacture to administration.
This is where the cold chain, the network of medical refrigerators, freezers and transport solutions responsible for always keeping vaccines and other biological products at the intended temperatures from manufacturer to administration, plays its part. These solutions are necessary to ensure the conditions required for the preservation of vaccines, drugs, blood and other samples, but even then, in the event of equipment malfunction or misuse, biological products can be exposed to irreversible damage. This is why temperature monitoring solutions are so critical to biologics safety worldwide.
B Medical Systems’ Remote Temperature Monitoring Device (RTMD) monitors the temperature inside refrigerators and freezers and alerts relevant personnel in real time if the temperature falls outside the optimal range. These devices track various parameters and then broadcast the data attributes through a communication network. This data is then converted and shared through a cloud-based portal for real-time visibility into unit performance with no additional setup costs.
The RTMD allows healthcare professionals to remotely monitor the internal and ambient temperatures of each cold chain equipment they use in real time. This allows them to always be able to check the condition of stored heat-sensitive biological products and ensure that none of them are at risk of degrading. In addition, the software allows to monitor the opening of the covers or doors of the units, and to observe the geographical position of the equipment via real-time GPS positioning. Most importantly, the software allows the setting up of real-time automated alerts via SMS and email to the people concerned. This is particularly useful when dealing with large cold chains, such as when used in large-scale vaccination campaigns, as government and organizations are then able to control the entire cold chain remotely. cold chain equipment from one place. Finally, the RTMD also incorporates a SIM chip whose communication costs are covered during the warranty period and a rechargeable battery.
Given the temperature sensitivity of many biologics used for both research and clinical purposes around the world, it is critical that we focus on developing a vaccine cold chain infrastructure that includes reliable real-time remote temperature monitoring solutions that can add an extra layer of security to the cold chain as a whole. This will preserve the potency of vaccines, drugs, blood and other samples and ensure their effectiveness at all times.
(The author is Mr. M. Jesal Doshi, Deputy General Manager, B Medical Systems and the opinions expressed in this article are his own)
#Importance #universal #software #monitoring #refrigeration #devices