On July 26, 2019, a study on the temperature stability of oxytocin was published in BMJ Open. The objective of the study was to compare the stability of oxytocin injection ampoules formulated for storage at ≤25°C with those labelled for refrigerated storage (2-8°C).
Some oxytocin products supplied to the global market are labelled for storage at ≤25°C, often with a shorter shelf-life relative to products labelled for refrigeration. Differences in labelled storage requirements can lead to uncertainties among stakeholders around the relative stability of oxytocin products and specifically whether ≤25°C products are more resistant to degradation.
When the accelerated studies were performed at 30°C, 40°C and 50°C, oxytocin ampoules formulated for non-refrigerated storage demonstrated comparable stability to those labelled for refrigerated storage and should not be interpreted by stakeholders as offering a more stable alternative.
Additional information can be found at https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/7/e029083.
