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Last verified: 20 October 2026. Every fact links to its official source.
Contents of this guide
What MINSA requires on temperature and humidity in a pharmacy
The legal basis is Law 419 of February 1, 2024, which regulates medicines and other human health products and, according to La Prensa, replaced Law 1 of 2001. It is regulated by Executive Decree 27 of May 10, 2024, published in Official Gazette 30028-C. Its chapter II covers pharmacies and sets four climate-related points:
- Ventilation and logging (article 413): the premises must have ventilation adequate to keep the temperature appropriate for the products stored, plus equipment to log and control temperature and relative humidity at least twice a day.
- Instruments and maintenance (article 414): the pharmacy must have equipment to measure temperature and relative humidity, and the legal representative or owner must arrange preventive maintenance of the structure.
- Storage area (article 424): it must keep the temperature and humidity conditions set by the regulations. Medicines needing special temperature conditions go in a dedicated refrigerator, with a temperature log.
- Dispensing shelves (article 429): a daily log form, at least twice a day, preferably in the morning and at midday.
The decree gives no temperature figure for pharmacy medicines. For warehouses, article 467 refers to the temperature and relative humidity limits set by the manufacturing laboratory for finished products. So the answer to the most common question, the storage temperature of medicines in Panama, is that it depends on each product and its health registration, and it is read on the label and the manufacturer’s documentation.
The Good Storage, Distribution and Transport Practices presentation from MINSA’s National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFD) points the same way: it calls for a storage area with adequate temperature and humidity and lists, among situations observed in inspections, failing to monitor temperature and humidity.
| Requirement | Where | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Ventilation to keep temperature appropriate; log of temperature and relative humidity at least twice a day | Decree 27, articles 413 and 429 | Pharmacies |
| Equipment to measure temperature and relative humidity | Decree 27, articles 414 and 429 | Pharmacies |
| Dedicated refrigerator for medicines with special conditions, with a temperature log | Decree 27, articles 424 and 429 | Pharmacies |
| Temperature and humidity limits set by the manufacturer | Decree 27, article 467 | Warehouses |
| Continuous monitoring with calibrated recorders, alarm and record checks | Decree 27, article 468 | Warehouses and distribution |
Whether MINSA requires air conditioning in a pharmacy
It does not, in those words. A search of the decree’s full text finds neither “air conditioning” nor “climate control”. What it requires is a result: temperature and humidity suited to the products, and written proof that they are maintained. How to achieve that is left to the establishment.
In Panama’s climate that result is hard to sustain without cooling. The decree itself places the country in climate zone IVb, “hot and humid, the most critical of the four” in its glossary. That is a classification used in medicine stability studies and not a storage limit, but it describes the climate every premises works against. If the air conditioning unit loses capacity, dispensing-area temperature rises and humidity with it, so the unit is part of compliance.
Maintenance matters here. A unit with dirty filters and coils cools less and dehumidifies worse, a problem Radar covers in the guide on offices where the air conditioning is not cooling. Near the sea, salt air adds to it, and in closed rooms damp and odors. Climatiza Panamá offers air conditioning maintenance with contracts in three tiers, a framework Radar explains in the maintenance contract guide for businesses.
Which records to keep and how often
A useful record answers two questions in an inspection: what the conditions were, and what was done when they drifted. The decree and the MINSA presentation allow a minimum list:
| Record | Frequency or requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Premises temperature and relative humidity | At least twice a day, preferably morning and midday | Decree 27, articles 413 and 429 |
| Temperature of the medicine refrigerator | A log; the articles reviewed set no frequency | Decree 27, articles 424 and 429 |
| Review of the logs by responsible staff | At least three times a day in storage areas | Decree 27, article 468 |
| Calibration of temperature recorders | At least once a year; extending it requires documented justification | Decree 27, article 468 |
| Deviations from set parameters | Investigate the cause, fix it and record it | Decree 27, article 468 |
| Preventive maintenance plan for refrigeration equipment and a log of its checks | A plan must exist | Decree 27, article 469 |
The review, calibration and deviation rows come from the storage and distribution provisions, which article 443 extends to every establishment with storage areas. Confirming with the DNFD how they apply to a neighborhood pharmacy is advisable. The MINSA presentation also lists, among standard operating procedures, a corrective and preventive maintenance program with its records.
- Write down each product’s range from the label or the manufacturer’s data sheet, especially for refrigerated items.
- Choose a thermo-hygrometer and place it where it represents the storage area. The location is set in the establishment’s procedure.
- Design the daily form with date, time, temperature, relative humidity, and the name and signature of the person reading.
- Assign a person and times, with at least two readings, preferably morning and midday.
- Define what happens on a deviation: who is notified, what is checked on the equipment and where the cause is recorded.
- Schedule the yearly calibration of the instrument and periodic checks of the air conditioning and the refrigerator.
Continuous monitoring and equipment maintenance
Two daily readings miss what happens between them: a night with the unit off or a weekend with nobody there. That is why the decree, for warehouses, calls for continuous monitoring with calibrated recorders and an alarm system, and requires deviations to be investigated. If the alarm fails, it requires a daily check of maximum and minimum temperatures until it is restored. The World Health Organization guidance on storing and transporting time- and temperature-sensitive products states that local legislation prevails, and in Panama that legislation is the decree.
On its refrigeration and air conditioning monitoring page, Climatiza Panamá describes a sensor system that continuously records variables such as temperature, consumption or operating time, with a history that can be viewed and exported per unit and a periodic trend report. It lists pharmaceutical and laboratory storage among the cases where monitoring makes sense, because of controlled-temperature requirements and the need for records. It states that sensors are installed on existing equipment, that the value shows from the second or third month, once there is a baseline, and that it does not replace preventive maintenance. Whether that record equals what the DNFD asks for in a given case is for the responsible pharmacist or establishment manager to determine with the authority, not for the service provider.
Humidity in the room itself also counts. The EPA says in its mold course that indoor relative humidity should stay below 60% and, if possible, between 30% and 50%. That is a reference for the building, not for medicines, which follow manufacturer limits. Ducts and condensate pans also play a part, as the guide on duct cleaning explains.
Duct cleaning in pharmacies and laboratories in Panama
Duct cleaning in pharmacies and laboratories in Panama is justified by the condition of the system’s interior and not by a fixed calendar, and the way to know is an inspection. The EPA guide on duct cleaning, written for homes, says it should be considered when there is substantial visible mold growth inside metal ducts, vermin in the ducts, or ducts clogged with dust and debris, or when particles are released from the supply registers. The EPA does not recommend routine cleaning, only as needed.
On its air conditioning duct cleaning page, Climatiza Panamá describes work that removes dust, dirt and microbial growth from inside the ducts and disinfects the surfaces, using brushing and filtered vacuum equipment, verified with an inspection camera. On frequency, its approach is to inspect periodically and clean when the inspection justifies it. The camera inspection runs through the ducts from their access points, records photos and video, and delivers a report recommending whether cleaning is worthwhile. For clinics and pharmacies, the duct cleaning for clinics and pharmacies page proposes working by sector, with a log per sector and before-and-after evidence. Radar’s guide explains when duct cleaning is due and how to check.
Where the service is provided
Climatiza Panamá can serve areas of Panama City, San Miguelito, Panamá Oeste and Colón, and availability is confirmed on contact with the address and type of premises. The full list, 54 areas grouped by district, is on its service areas page. The 12 areas with their own maintenance page are linked.
- Panama District, central and bay corregimientos: San Felipe, San Francisco, Bella Vista, Betania, Pueblo Nuevo, Río Abajo, Parque Lefevre, Juan Díaz, Pedregal, Ancón.
- Panama District, neighborhoods, avenues and developments: Costa del Este, Punta Pacífica, Obarrio, Marbella, Paitilla, Punta Paitilla, El Cangrejo, Área Bancaria, Calle 50, Vía España, Vía Argentina, Avenida Balboa, Casco Antiguo, Santa María, Coco del Mar, El Carmen, Hato Pintado, Chanis, Costa Sur, Villa Lucre, Albrook, Clayton, Amador.
- Panama District, northern and eastern corregimientos: Las Cumbres, Alcalde Díaz, Chilibre, Tocumen, Don Bosco, 24 de Diciembre, Las Mañanitas.
- San Miguelito: San Miguelito, Brisas del Golf, Condado del Rey.
- Panamá Oeste: Arraiján, Howard, Panamá Pacífico, La Chorrera, Capira, Chame, Coronado, Gorgona, San Carlos.
- Colón: Colón, Zona Libre de Colón.
Pharmacies and laboratories in Panama can count on Climatiza Panamá for air conditioning maintenance and duct cleaning.
A pharmacy in Obarrio, a laboratory in the Área Bancaria or a warehouse in La Chorrera share the same starting point: the address and the type of premises. From there the service is assessed, whether maintenance or monitoring.
Myths and facts
- Myth: one temperature range fits every medicine. Fact: the decree refers to the limits set by the manufacturing laboratory for each finished product (article 467).
- Myth: noting the temperature once a day is enough. Fact: for pharmacies the minimum is two daily records of temperature and relative humidity (articles 413 and 429).
- Myth: if the premises feel cool, humidity need not be measured. Fact: the regulation always speaks of temperature and relative humidity together, and both must be logged.
- Myth: the log only matters on inspection day. Fact: the DNFD presentation lists skipped monitoring among situations observed in inspections and ties it, in its words, to a risk of losing the product’s efficacy and safety.
- Myth: a refrigerator shared with food will do. Fact: article 424 calls for a dedicated refrigerator for medicines with special conditions, and the MINSA presentation points to temperature controls and equipment calibration in cold-chain storage as inspected items.
- Myth: the thermometer never needs checking. Fact: for recorders in storage areas, the decree sets calibration at least once a year (article 468).
When a pharmacy or laboratory needs a continuous temperature history per unit, Climatiza Panamá describes a monitoring service that works alongside its maintenance contract.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should medicines be stored at in a pharmacy in Panama?
At whatever the manufacturer states for each product, because the decree regulating Law 419 refers to the manufacturing laboratory’s limits and sets no single range. The figure comes from the label and the health registration documents.
Does MINSA require air conditioning in a pharmacy?
Not in those words, but it does require the premises to keep a temperature suited to the products and to log temperature and relative humidity at least twice a day (articles 413 and 429). The establishment chooses the equipment to achieve it.
How should temperature and humidity be recorded in a pharmacy?
With a thermo-hygrometer and a daily form showing date, time, readings and the person responsible, filled in at least twice a day, preferably morning and midday. Deviations are noted with their cause and the action taken.
Does Climatiza Panamá serve pharmacies and laboratories in Obarrio, Costa del Este or outside Panama City?
It lists areas such as Obarrio and Costa del Este, plus San Miguelito, Panamá Oeste and Colón, and availability is confirmed with the address and type of premises. Details are on its service areas page.
When is duct cleaning advisable in a pharmacy or laboratory?
When a camera inspection shows substantial visible mold, vermin, or ducts clogged with dust and debris, following EPA criteria written for homes. Climatiza Panamá proposes inspecting and cleaning only if the inspection justifies it.
Do the same rules apply to a clinical laboratory?
The chapters reviewed cover pharmacies, warehouses, distribution and manufacturing, and do not address clinical laboratories. For their climate control, it is advisable to follow equipment and reagent manufacturers’ conditions and check the regulations specific to that type of establishment, which this guide did not review.
Related articles
- Air conditioning maintenance contract for businesses in Panama
- Office air conditioning not cooling: what to check
- Office air conditioning smells damp: causes
- Air conditioning by the sea in Panama: salt air
- Air duct cleaning in Panama: when and how to check
Sources
All sources were consulted on October 20, 2026. The decree was cited in its original May 2024 text; confirming in the Official Gazette whether it has since been amended is advisable.
- MINSA, Law 419 of February 1, 2024.
- MINSA, Executive Decree 27 of May 10, 2024, PDF text, articles 413, 414, 424, 429, 443, 467, 468 and 469 and glossary (climate zone).
- Official Gazette 30028-C, May 10, 2024.
- MINSA, DNFD, Good Storage, Distribution and Transport Practices presentation.
- MINSA, regulations.
- La Prensa, key aspects of the new medicines law.
- WHO, TRS 961 Annex 9, model guidance on storage and transport.
- EPA, mold course, chapter 2 and EPA, duct cleaning.
- Climatiza Panamá, refrigeration and A/C equipment monitoring.
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