One of the biggest innovations in logistics was the perfection of the “cold chain.” This is an uninterrupted shipping procedure where each step of travel involves cargo safely stored in some kind of active environmental control system. Refrigerated containers, or “Reefers,” are one example that made the long-distance transportation of pharmaceuticals possible. However, it’s important for anyone invested in successful pharmaceutical shipping to take extra precautions, such as insulated shipping boxes.
Accidents Happen
Logistics chains are formed based on certain schedules being met, but of course, the unexpected can occur that can interfere with this process. A reefer, for example, may suffer from a faulty unit, so the refrigeration process no longer works. Or a shipment may be moved out of its reefer to await transfer to a refrigerated truck, but due to a storm, the road is blocked, and the vehicle is delayed.
Insulated shipping boxes are critical during such circumstances. They are a passive form of temperature control that tightly seals a shipment, preventing interior air from escaping or outside air from seeping in. This means that the temperature that pharmaceuticals were set to when packed away is retained, even without the use of active refrigeration.
Be Prepared
With proper preparation, insulated shipping boxes can protect pharmaceuticals from unexpected delays. This is critical, as any sustained variance from a pharmaceutical recommended storage temperature can result in a loss of efficacy at best or render the pharmaceutical outright useless at worst.
Each pharmaceutical will have its own ideal temperature storage range. Insulated shipping boxes are a cost-effective way to ship different pharmaceuticals with different temperature ranges and still have all of them arrive safely and ready to use. Preserving efficacy is a paramount concern for a product that is so essential to health and medical treatment, and nothing should be left to chance.
