Key takeaways:
- Better access to drugs could save as many as 10 million lives a year.
- Seven of the 10 most used pharmaceuticals in the US require temperature-controlled shipping.
- TradeTech helps to reduce and prevent waste generation across all stages of pharmaceutical transportation.
The nature of the pharmaceutical industry means that product transportation is often of a time-sensitive nature. The rapid development of vaccines and treatments, for example, have played a critical role in reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But ensuring timely access to effective medicines is not just about drug development, it also depends on the logistics sector being able to transport medicines from manufacturing or storage facilities to the people that need them.
But speed isn’t the only concern when medicines are in transit. Safety in freight transportation for pharmaceutical products also depends on medicines arriving at their destination in perfect condition, ensuring that their integrity is not compromised at any point. In order to achieve this, both time and temperature are key factors. According to one United Nations expert, better access to drugs could save as many as 10 million lives a year across the globe – and pharmaceutical transportation can play a major role in making this figure a reality.
The current pharmaceutical transportation landscape
Unlike some assets that are commonly transported by logistics firms, environmental conditions are hugely important to guarantee the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals. Temperature, in particular, is critical, with seven of the 10 most used pharmaceuticals in the US requiring temperature-controlled shipping. Some oncology treatments and types of insulin, for example, must be kept within a precise temperature range to ensure their efficacy.
So while many logistics firms may appear to use a fairly standard approach to moving medical assets – usually by either road, rail, or sea – the temperature must be kept within strict ranges during the entirety of the journey. Even just a small deviation from this range of, say two degrees Celsius could damage pharmaceutical products. To keep within these strict temperature ranges, vehicles involved in pharmaceutical transportation are often refrigerated, chilled and isothermal. These are part of an industry sub-sector known as cold chain logistics.
To ensure that medicines are transported correctly, strict regulatory standards concerning pharmaceutical transportation should be followed. Although this will vary slightly by country, in the US, the FDA’s Drug Supply Chain Security Act outlines strict requirements around product tracing, identification, and verification. All markets within the European Union must adhere to Good Distribution Practices (GDP) – legislation that outlines the minimum standards for the movement of medicines throughout the supply chain. In order to gain GDP certification, logistics providers must ensure that pharmaceuticals are delivered in a timely manner, that they are stored in suitable conditions, are not at risk of contamination, and that storage conditions can be tracked.
Although the required temperature range will vary depending on the exact pharmaceutical product being transported, cold chain logistics generally depends on temperatures being maintained between two and eight degrees Celsius. Aside from temperature, other environmental factors listed by the EU’s GDP guidelines include light, humidity, strong odours, and chemical spillages.
The value of technology
Technology provides a two-fold benefit for the transportation of pharmaceuticals. First, it is employed directly to maintain the integrity of the medicines being shipped by enabling temperature, humidity and other factors to be controlled. And secondly, technology like cargo monitoring solutions provide the means by which logistics providers can verify that integrity.
To meet regulations around record-keeping, asset monitoring tools must be employed to demonstrate that medicines are transported in a controlled environment. Updates at the start and end-points of the logistics journey are not enough – constant monitoring and real-time updates are required.
Advanced supply chain tracking technology can now provide visibility and validation during the transportation of pharmaceutical assets. Technology has transformed cold chain logistics by providing reliable refrigeration for vehicles and documentation that all stakeholders can depend on – particularly those individuals that are relying on medicines for their wellbeing.
How Nexxiot optimizes pharmaceutical transportation
At Nexxiot, we understand how important it is that pharmaceutical assets are transported safely. Our Cargo Monitor solution delivers real-time updates on any external and internal influences that affect your cargo – all the way from departure to arrival.
Cargo Monitor measures temperature, humidity, dew point, shocks, and door opening, as well as provides live location updates throughout the journey via its web-based interface. With 24/7 data access and tailored reporting offering transparency for all stakeholders, logistics firms can safeguard their cargo wherever it is in the world – and optimize the transportation of pharmaceuticals that may ultimately save someone’s life.
