Healthcare companies that manufacture medicines for use by astronauts may have to put additional wording on their pharmaceutical labels in future.

A new study by scientists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston found that some drugs stored on space flights may deteriorate more quickly than those kept on earth.

The study, published in the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists journal, looked at 35 formulations both on home soil and stowed on the international space station.

It was discovered that after 28 months in space, some of the medications contained lower levels of drugs than the ones kept on the ground, suggesting implications for shelf-life.

Companies may now need to reformulate their products and add extra information to their pharmaceutical labels in order to ensure medicines used by astronauts remain effective.

"This information can facilitate research for the development of space-hardy pharmaceuticals and packaging technologies," a source commented.

Earlier this month, Mark Davison of Blue Sphere Health recommended that companies using pharmaceutical labels should add serial numbers to their products. 

Denny Bros Ltd, 18 April 2011