I’ve been informed that Health Services only accepts new allergen extract vials that are coolto- touch. What does that mean and why has this changed?
Extract manufacturers conduct stability studies with standardized extracts that expose them to a variety of shipping conditions. It is the responsibility of each manufacturer or supplier to ship extracts under validated conditions that are not shown to adversely affect the extract’s potency or safety. Because the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy depend on the use of allergen immunotherapy extracts with reasonably predicted biological activity, it is important that they be stored under conditions that preserve that activity. The potency of allergen immunotherapy extract is affect by a number of factors, including the passage of time, temperature, concentration, number of allergens in the vial, volume of the storage vial, and the presence of stabilizers and preservatives. When Stamps Health Services receives extract vials from your allergist by mail or by student delivery, there is the possibility the vials have been exposed to conditions that adversely affect the extract’s potency.
