Drugs produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers have grown increasingly complex. Although scientific developments are great for the world’s health, they pose a dilemma for the air cargo industry. Pharmaceuticals have become very sensitive to temperature changes, which means suppliers need to take extra caution when shipping products. Air cargo shipping methods have been trying to keep up with the needs of the pharmaceutical industry.
The International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for a majority of the world’s airlines. The IATA consists of 275 members and accounts for 83% of total air traffic.
The group recently amended their Perishable Cargo Regulations and added separate regulations for health-care shipments. One of the guide’s authors stated, “Bananas and Botox, although both perishable, have vastly different handling requirements; just as the results of mishandling of either, or both, have vastly different consequences.”
The IATA stresses the fact that proper pharmaceutical shipping methods can save lives. They have also published Temperature Control Regulations and Time & Temperature Sensitive Label, which are exclusive to pharmaceutical shipments.
Because the logistics for pharmaceutical shipments are constantly evolving, the IATA has also created a Time & Temperature Task Force. This task force, which is under the Live Animals and Perishables Board, is responsible for developing and maintaining standards for shipping of products related to the health-care sector. This group proactively evaluates methods for documentation, packaging, cargo handling, and accepting goods.
Maintaining Temperature Regulations While Shipping
Airlines have been forced to make adjustments to their supply chain as a result of pharmaceutical shipping regulations. For example, one international airline is nearing the completion of a climate control center near one of their primary airports. Other airlines are working on similar projects. The pharmaceutical industry has spawned a new age of air cargo shipments, with innovation sweeping across the industry.
The reason for such innovation is because air cargo tends to be subjected to temperature variations that can be difficult to account for. Air cargo allows pharmaceuticals to travel from one climate to another quickly. Pharmaceuticals shipped during the winter in Cambridge, MA, to Phoenix, AZ, will be subjected to extreme temperature variations.
Additionally, pharmaceuticals are exposed to drastic temperature changes during the flights themselves. In the air, the cargo bay is colder because of the plane’s altitude. Once the plane reaches its destination and the cargo is unloaded, shipments can be exposed to warmer temperatures while sitting on the tarmac.
There are a number of products that can help protect pharmaceuticals during the shipping process. SureTemp offers an Insulated Thermal Pallet Cover for pharmaceutical thermal protection. This reusable pallet cover minimizes temperature excursions and maintains temperature regulations for pharmaceutical shipments.
The pallet cover is made of a heavy-gauge woven polyethylene, which is heat-sealed to a poly-coated aluminum foil. The blanket’s core is made up of synthetic hollow fibers, reducing conductivity. The pallet cover is ideal for stabilizing temperatures in both warm and cold climates.
