The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is urging patients to shield their treatments from the ongoing extreme heat, warning that compromised medications could fail when needed most.
Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, cautioned that drugs left in cars, bags, or on sunny windowsills may lose efficacy. She also noted some prescriptions increase sun sensitivity and dehydration risks, specifically threatening those with asthma, heart disease, or diabetes.
For diabetes patients, the risks are particularly acute. The agency highlights that continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) often produce unreliable readings if used or stored in hot conditions. Patients were advised to store devices in cool, dry places and verify erratic results with a control check.
Furthermore, the regulator warned that common diabetes medications like insulin and metformin amplify the risk of dehydration. The body's altered response to medication during heatwaves can destabilize the management of long-term conditions, potentially masking early symptoms of heat-related illness.