Oxytocin — a medicine used to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage — is temperature sensitive and requires transport and storage in the cold chain. Despite general awareness of the threat to oxytocin quality if the cold chain is not maintained, many countries still do not transport and store oxytocin appropriately.
In October 2017, a group of scientists, researchers, manufacturers and health experts from the public and private sectors came together in Geneva to review current evidence on oxytocin and identify a way forward for improving the quality of oxytocin in countries significantly impacted by PPH. The group agreed that simple, concise messaging is needed to allow advocates and the public to demand changes in oxytocin procurement and storage practices. This messaging framework outlines key messages for a core group of stakeholders—national medicines regulatory authorities, procurement agencies, and MNCH program leaders—to help safeguard oxytocin’s quality throughout the health supply chain.
