Dennis gave me permission to cross-post excerpts from 2 of his posts
about an important yet neglected subject.  Here's the excerpt from his
1st post, 8/20/06, 7:35 PM PDT :

[snip] As a side note:  I get my meds from Mail in Pharmacy (Tri-Care).
I just learned Avodart needs to be shipped in protected cold packing.
I was using non protected Avodart for over 6 months and my DHT went
over the top.  Makes one wonder how many other meds need protecting
from heat. [snip]
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I responded to his post on 8/21/06, 9:19 PM PDT:

Thanks for the tip that "Avodart needs to be shipped in protected cold
packing."

Please give us more info about what is "protected cold packing."  Is
the Avodart wrapped in some type of insulating material or is it packed
in dry ice or what? [snip]
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Dennis responded on 8/21/06, 9:55 PM PDT to my post:

[snip] I received Avodart in an overnight sealed plastic package with a
cold pack (similar to what you would use in a cooler to keep the
beer/cola cold only on a smaller scale) again inside sealed plastic.

When I order Tri Mix and regardless if I have it mailed overnight or
drive 90 miles to pick it up, I get a similar cold pack to keep it cool
for transportating. [snip]
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I continue with my post:

Dennis, you wonder about how many medications need to be protected from
heat.  Here's an example from my experience: I picked up a vial of
Flomax from Longs Drugs in San Diego, CA today. The Prescription
Information sheet states: "Store the US product at room temperature at
77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage
between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Store the
Canadian product at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15 to 30
degrees C)...."

I recall reading similar safe temperature ranges for many different
meds.

In my area in the summer, temperatures are often in the high 80's and
low 90's, which leads me to pick up my meds at the pharmacy and
transport them with the air-conditioning on in my sedan because I
don't know to wnat temperature my meds will be exposed in the delivery
sedan or truck.  When the season changes and the temperature becomes no
longer destructive of medication, I resume home delivery.

I'm afraid of the answer I'll receive if  I ask the pharmacist whether
the meds shipped to the pharmacy are protected from the heat!

When I order vitamins and other supplements from a firm located on the
opposite coast from me, I try to do it in the spring and fall and also
pay extra to ship it Overnight or 2-Day Air instead of 5-Day Ground, to
try to reduce the amount of time the meds stay in hot/unventilated
trucks and/or warehouses.

Lawrence J. Bookbinder (have PCa & BPH)
http://www.ljblgb.com  (my BPH story)