Industry Insights

When it comes to transporting temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals, shippers are increasingly considering ocean freight as an alternative to air transportation because of its perceived cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. However, the reality may surprise you.

Rare and orphan diseases affect a relatively small number of individuals within the global population (less than 200,000 people in the US or less than 5 in 10,000 people in Europe). Due to the high costs associated with research and development and a limited patient pool, companies developing such products often incur a financial loss, and so the pharmaceutical industry has been forced to neglect many rare diseases.

The pharmaceutical industry plays a critical role in global healthcare, producing life-saving medications and treatments that are distributed worldwide. When it comes to shipping pharmaceutical products across international borders, navigating customs regulations can be a complex part of the process – countries need to regulate the movement of goods across international borders while balancing various interests, including trade facilitation, security, and public health.

As we look back on 10 years in Mexico, we asked the question – just how has the pharmaceutical market changed over the last 10 years – and what is to come?

Suat Toh, head of Sales APAC at Envirotainer, explains why protecting pharmaceuticals from counterfeiters in transportation needs a multi-layered approach and active shipping containers.

Cihan Likogullari, head of EMEA at Envirotainer, explains the four pillars of success on which active cold-chain rest and why taking a “good enough” approach is not acceptable.

In the pharma industry, approximately 90% of all carbon emissions are generated in the manufacturing phase. The biggest positive impact on carbon emissions the secure cold chain can have is therefore to ensure that every single dose that is manufactured reaches the patient securely and on time.

When shipping vaccines or any other temperature-sensitive medical solution, pharmaceutical companies look for partners that ensure high quality, that can simplify the handling process, and help to reduce CO2 emissions. While active temperature-controlled solutions meet all those requirements, the general perception is that they are more expensive. That perception sometimes makes pharmaceutical companies choose other, seemingly less costly alternatives, commonly known as passive solutions, not realizing that they are in essence, paying more for an inferior solution.

Breakthrough research in various medical fields, such as gene editing, stem cell technology and regenerative medicine, has led to an increased demand for temperature-controlled transport. High-end, specialized medicine is often produced in low volumes with no backup stock and thus, delivering these sensitive products safely across the globe has become a mounting logistical challenge. Selecting a secure and reliable logistics solution has accordingly become all the more important.

With the growing number of sensitive drugs, how can procurement keep transport costs under control while still adhering to necessary quality requirements?