The Insider’s Buying Guide For Pharmaceutical Refrigerator

A specialized and dedicated pharmaceutical refrigerator is a necessary piece of equipment in most medical practices. Whether they are used for storing vaccines as per the CDC guidelines or removing blood samples, medical grade refrigerators have several essential usages. If you are in this field of work, then it is important that you choose the right kind of pharmaceutical refrigerator for your needs. Often, people have been known to opt for the wrong kind of refrigerator or freezer for storing their medical supplies. This can result in the spoilage of the supplies, thus leading to huge losses.

There is an array of available options at American Biotech Supply when it comes to pharmaceutical refrigerators. To choose the right kind of unit for your requirements, there are certain points that you need to know. In this article, we present you with a detailed guide for choosing a pharmaceutical refrigerator. Read on to learn more.

1. Consider The Price

One of the major deciding factors that come up when buying a medical grade refrigerator is the price and whether that suits your budget or not. The pricing is influenced by several factors like adherence to the regulatory guidelines, cooling options, temperature control, size of the equipment, and additional features. Bigger standalone units usually cost more than the compact refrigerators. Similarly, a pharmaceutical refrigerator with freezer will be available at a higher cost than a separate refrigerator or freezer unit. 

At American Biotech Supply, we offer competitive pricing on a range of models of pharmaceutical refrigerators. Hence, you are sure to find something that is both within your budget and meets all your requirements.

2. Pharmaceutical Refrigerator Features 

Of course, it is crucial to know what features you are looking for in your pharmaceutical refrigerator to make an informed choice. Some salient features that you should consider before buying a medical grade refrigerator are as below-

●       The temperature control mechanism in the unit should be capable of providing and maintaining the required temperature range. For example, vaccines must be stored between 36℉ and 46℉ in the refrigerator section and between -58℉ and 5℉ when in the freezer. Most medical refrigerators come with a microprocessor-controlled temperature maintenance system along with digital thermostats and alarms. 

●       The dimensions and size of the unit so that it fits the available space while serving your needs. Getting a refrigerator that is too small to hold all the supplies or too big to be installed completely defeats the purpose.

●       The kind of shelving and storage space inside the unit. Wire shelves are considered to be suitable for storing most vaccines and medicines like insulin. Also, most refrigerators do not have any door shelving to protect the supplies from frequent temperature fluctuations.

●       A proper locking mechanism that prevents any unauthorized personnel from accessing the refrigerator and its contents. 

●       VFC guidelines mandate that the power source used for medical grade refrigerators are not used for other purposes. As a result, most refrigerators come with a power cord alarm that alerts people to the fact that the power cord is connected and providing electricity to the unit.

●       Presence of internal fans that circulate the cool air effectively within the unit, thus ensuring proper storage.

These are some of the basic features that come with most pharmaceutical refrigerators. There are certain additional upgrades that you can opt for if they are necessary for your particular storage needs. 

3. Particular Usages And Benefits

Apart from the basic features that are common to most pharmaceutical refrigerators, there are some very specific usages and benefits that you may be looking for in your unit. Some of these are as follows-

●       Consider what the refrigerator will be used for storing- vaccines, medicines, medical supplies and equipment, or samples. Different materials have specified required temperature ranges that must be maintained for proper storage. Thermal probes in glycol bottles are provided within the units to keep track of the internal temperature fluctuations.

●       Built-in front ventilation systems can help you save space by doing away with the need of having a separate ventilation system on the top or side of the refrigerator.

●       Continuous air circulation system that prevents heating up every time the door is opened.

●       A unit or a designated area within the unit that is dedicated to the storage of only vaccines. This is particularly essential to store vaccines as per the guidelines laid down by the CDC.

4. Unit Size

As mentioned before, pharmaceutical refrigerators come in various sizes. Knowing which size unit to get depends mainly on the available space for installation and the amount of material that you need to store. Keeping this in mind, we offer several options when it comes to the size of the pharmaceutical refrigerators. From under-counter refrigerators of a capacity of 4.6 cubic feet to large freezers with a capacity of 15 cubic feet- we have something for your every need.

5. Adherence To Regulations

When it comes to the storage of medical supplies and equipment, there are some stringent guidelines laid down by the CDC (especially the VFC when it comes to vaccines). These guidelines refer to the temperature at which the medicines can be stored, the cooling mechanism that must be installed, the power requirements, etc. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to the stored materials from getting spoiled. Hence, it is essential that while buying a pharmaceutical refrigerator, you take care to choose a unit that complies with all the necessary rules. 

At American Biotech Supply, we take these guidelines very seriously and ensure that all our units are designed to meet them.

Our Services

When you buy a pharmaceutical refrigerator from American Biotech Supply, we guarantee that you will receive the best quality product for your specific needs. And that is not all. We offer our customers superior support for the lifetime of the unit. We make it a point to share our knowledge and expertise with our valued customers so that they can find a solution that fits their business needs. Our experienced customer support team is there with you in every step of the process, ready to assist you with queries on issues like warranty, troubleshooting, installation, and service requests. Thus, if you are looking to acquire a pharmaceutical refrigerator, then we are here to help you with your needs.

We have more than 25 years of experience in the field and take great care to offer compelling solutions to our customers at competitive prices. For more information about our products and solutions, please get in touch with us today.