Storing and Travelling with Vials: Fridge, Case and Cooler Bag
The quick answer
| Situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| At home, label says refrigerate | Fridge body, not the door. Upright. | The door is the warmest and most variable part of the fridge |
| Storing between doses | Keep vials, syringes and wipes together in one container | Nothing missing when you need it, and nothing loose to be knocked over |
| Travelling, cold required | Insulated cooler bag with a cold pack. The case goes inside it. | A hard case will not keep things cold |
| Cold packs | Keep them away from the vials | A vial frozen against a pack usually has to be discarded |
| Used needles, anywhere | Sharps container | Never loose in a bag or a hotel bin |
Where in the fridge to keep vials
If your label says to refrigerate, use the body of the fridge rather than the door. The door is the warmest part of the fridge and the temperature changes every time it opens. Vials also lie flat in most door shelves, so they roll and can fall out.
Keep them upright, away from the back wall where things can freeze, and away from the crisper, which can be humid. Do not freeze anything unless the label allows it.
Keeping the kit together
Reconstituting a vial takes more than the vial itself. You need the diluent, a syringe and a wipe, and for most people those live in three different places.
Storing them together means nothing is missing when you come to use it, and the vials are not standing loose on a shelf where a knock can chip a stopper or break a vial.
A hard case with foam slots keeps each vial upright and separated, protects against knocks in a bag, and holds the rest of the kit with them. Our 18-slot vial case fits 3ml and 10ml vials, which many general-purpose cases do not. Vials and cooling packs are not included.
Making room for more syringes
If you need more space for syringes than the mesh insert offers, you can cut out one row of the foam slots. That takes the case from 18 vials down to 12, which is still plenty for most people, and leaves a bay for spare syringes. We do this with our own case. Keep in mind the cut is permanent.
How to pack vials for travel
If your label requires refrigeration, this is what to pack:
- An insulated cooler bag with a cold pack. This is what keeps everything cold. Pre-chill the bag if you can.
- The case inside the bag. It keeps the vials off the cold pack. A vial that freezes against a pack usually has to be discarded, so follow your label if you think one has.
- A sharps container. Put your used needles in a sharps container, not in a hotel bin. Our 0.6L portable sharps container is pocket-sized and made for travel.
Note: although the case is insulated, it will not keep the products inside cold. If it is going to be out of the fridge for more than a couple of hours, we recommend putting it inside a cooler bag with ice bricks or other cold items to extend the time the contents can stay out of the fridge.
Flying with vials
Keep vials in your carry-on rather than checked baggage. Hold luggage is not temperature controlled and can be separated from you. Carry the pharmacy label or a copy of your prescription documentation, and check your airline's and destination's rules before you fly.
Supplies for storage and travel
- 18-slot vial storage case - foam slots for 3ml and 10ml vials, with a mesh lid insert for syringes and wipes.
- 0.6L Sharpsafe container - pocket-sized, for used needles wherever you are.
- Alcohol wipes (200-pack) - swab the stopper and let it dry before each puncture.
Browse the full injection supplies range.
Frequently asked questions
Does a vial storage case keep vials cold?
No. Foam insulates a little, but a hard case is not a cooler. If your label requires 2-8 C, use an insulated cooler bag with a cold pack and put the case inside it.
Can a cold pack sit directly against vials?
Avoid it. A vial that freezes against a pack usually has to be discarded, so keep the case or a layer of the bag between the cold pack and the glass vials. A case like this is the ideal way to do it.
How many vials does the case hold?
Eighteen in the foam slots. If you cut out one row of foam you get 12 slots plus an open bay for spare syringes, which suits most people better.
Can vials go in checked baggage?
Carry-on is the safer choice. Hold luggage is not temperature controlled and can be separated from you, and your airline and destination set the rules on what you can bring.
Who do I ask about storage for my specific product?
The pharmacy that supplied it. Storage and beyond-use questions are product-specific, and the pharmacy is the right place to ask.
Related guides
- How Long Do Reconstituted Peptides Last?
- How to Reconstitute Peptides with Bacteriostatic Water
- How to Dispose of Syringes in Australia
This guide covers storage and handling of injection supplies, not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, pharmacist, compounding pharmacy or manufacturer label for storage instructions and beyond-use dates.