# Should Glucagon be refrigerated?
**URL:** https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881
**Category:** Medicines
**Tags:** glucagon
**Created:** [September 7, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881 "2017-09-07T17:35:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/21 "2017-09-08T19:10:26Z")
> [@Eric](#):
>
> The old ones used to have two vials - one with the diluent and one with the glucagon tablet. You had to take it out of the one vial before injecting it into the other to mix it. I guess they started pre-loading the syringe to save time.
Yes - I remember those two vial kits π
I wasnβt really complaining about the glass - I was complaining about the length and gauge of the needles.
I have no issues with glass in a plastic case, but selling a glass syringe in a cardboard box is a recipe for breakage.
/complain mode off - π¦ π π
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### Author:  [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/22 "2017-09-08T19:52:31Z")
> [@Aaron](#):
>
> I have no issues with glass in a plastic case, but selling a glass syringe in a cardboard box is a recipe for breakage.
I have never had one with the syringe in the cardboard box. Does that depend on your country?
When they started pre-loading the syringe, I remember it always being in the red plastic case.
(A case that is good to save as a way of transporting vials and other such things rather securely, and protecting stuff. BTW!)
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### Author:  [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/23 "2017-09-08T20:26:03Z")
@Jen pointed out that the no plastic case for Lilly glucagon is just a Canada thing.
In my case, this drove me away from the Lilly product to the NovoNordisk stuff. Bad marketing move Lilly π
Also, the NovoNordisk stuff I have bought was an 18 month shelf life versus the 12 months with the Lilly stuff. I still keep expired glucagon, but I usually have fresh stuff somewhere.
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### Author:  [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/24 "2017-09-08T20:30:25Z")
> [@Aaron](#):
>
> Also, the NovoNordisk stuff I have bought was an 18 month shelf life versus the 12 months with the Lilly stuff.
The printed expiration date is just a misprint. π
[https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-glucagon/1417/9](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/expired-glucagon/1417/9)
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### Author:  [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/25 "2017-09-08T20:42:53Z")
:guinea_pig:
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### Author:  [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/26 "2017-09-08T20:56:49Z")
> I have never had one with the syringe in the cardboard box. Does that depend on your country?
Maybe thatβs what all us poor, hapless Americans are getting when we pay three times as much for our drugs and medical care β better packaging!!
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### Author:  [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/27 "2017-09-08T22:56:02Z")
> [@Aaron](#):
>
> Also, the NovoNordisk stuff I have bought was an 18 month shelf life versus the 12 months with the Lilly stuff. I still keep expired glucagon, but I usually have fresh stuff somewhere.
Hmm. In the US, it appears that I get more than 12 months shelf life for Lilly. Right now I have 2 kits expiring 11/2018. So I am guessing it must be 18 months in the US
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### Author:  [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/28 "2017-09-08T23:35:31Z")
Sorry to be the source of wrong information on this thread π
EDIT - We Canadians must be getting a discount for no plastic box and getting all the old stock of American glucagon π
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### Author:  [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/29 "2017-09-08T23:36:38Z")
> [@Aaron](#):
>
> the source of wrong information on this thread π
No no no! I just seems that this is widely varying across countries!
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### Author:  [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/30 "2017-09-12T14:55:26Z")
> [@Michel](#):
>
> No no no! I just seems that this is widely varying across countries!
Honestly, the approving authority (FDA, TUV, or country approver) is going to determine the expiration date. So the same product could easily have a different expiration if the approving authority didnβt agree with the data supporting extending the expiration. Also, rare, but a drug could be made in two different factories using different methods, and each could have a different expiration.
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### Author:  [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/31 "2017-09-19T22:05:16Z")
4 posts were split to a new topic: [Liquid (injectable) glucagon](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/liquid-injectable-glucagon/2071)
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### Author:  [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/should-glucagon-be-refrigerated/1881/32 "2017-09-19T22:11:09Z")
A post was merged into an existing topic: [Liquid (injectable) glucagon](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/liquid-injectable-glucagon/2071)
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