One of the most delicate types of freight to handle is pharmaceuticals. Not only are they often critical because they are medications of the over-the-counter or prescription variety, but they require special handling as well. In most cases, the pharmaceuticals are physically durable since fluids are packaged in bottles, while pills, capsule, and caplets have their own protective packaging. However, it is the temperature that makes pharmaceutical materials so delicate to handle unless they have some protection, like thermal blanket insulation foil.
Maintaining Balance
Similar to raw fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals are temperature sensitive. In this case, the wrong temperature doesn’t induce pharmaceuticals to rot like an apple or tomato, but it rapidly reduces the efficacy of the medications. So a box of pills that have been improperly stored won’t appear outwardly defective, but consuming the drug may at best result in reduced effects, at worst, be harmful to the consumer.
Different medications have different ideal temperatures, but in general, the storage of pharmaceuticals falls within a spectrum of 35-86℉. Too hot or too cold for a sustained period will result in the loss of efficacy.
Unforeseen Disruptions
As the pandemic has already shown, supply chain disruptions are often one of the first things affected by the unexpected. Trucks or trains may be delayed in arrival, and planes may not arrive at all, while ships might be forced into quarantine. In these instances, cargo may sit on the tarmac, or a loading zone outside a warehouse, exposed to the elements for hours.
This is most often where damage to pharmaceuticals can occur since, without climate control, the internal temperature of goods is at the mercy of the environment. This is where precautions like thermal blanket insulation foil become crucial. Thermal blanket insulation foil can passively maintain the internal temperature of freight during the period when it is awaiting loading for the next stage of the journey. So even if the unexpected happens, the cargo is temperature protected.
