SupplyChain Magazine December 2014 | Page 13

TEMPERATURE CONTROL & LOGISTICS IN PHARMACEUTICALS
air-conditioning , enabling carriers to set the required temperature in addition to that of the containers themselves . IAG Cargo has taken up this option in all of their new fleet of Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft .
Technology is only one small part of the equation however and it must be complemented by expert staff and in-depth training programs . The temperature-controlled sector relies on people with a deep understanding of the medicines they ship .
It is after all only through an understanding of the properties of the drugs being transported that adequate provisions to maintain their quality can be made . At IAG Cargo we encourage staff to always try and ‘ think inside the box ’: think about the patient and the high shipment value . Freight forwarders and shippers should look
Constant Fresh . A cool chain solution from IAG Cargo to work with carriers that have the right blend of cargo and pharmaceutical expertise and understanding .
To build on this knowledge base , training is vital . Every person who touches the product must have undergone training in the temperature sensitive processes . Every employee that is engaged in booking a product , handling a product or processing a product must be fully trained in the specifics of that product , as well as in Good Distribution Practice guidelines and all IATA Chapter 17 regulations .
Across the globe regulatory governance is only set to increase so it is absolutely vital to get this element of the temperature control supply chain right .
Over the next few years the pharmaceutical market will therefore be marked by upheaval on one hand and opportunity on the other .
Biopharmaceuticals offer pharma businesses an exciting new revenue stream , and by extension it is also an area of growth for logistics providers . Those air cargo carriers that can show they have the right technologies , solutions and processes in place to guarantee the safe transport of these valuable products will stand to gain much .
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