Among the many services offered in the shipping world, shipping pharmaceuticals is one of the most complex and sensitive task for freight forwarders. This is because of the stringent rules for shipping pharmaceuticals. Generally, pharmaceuticals require delicate handling apart from being very expensive. This is the reason why extra safety measures are undertaken during their transport. Before choosing a freight company for pharmaceuticals, you need to ensure that the said freight forwarder specializes in cold chain logistics service. It is worth noting that cold chain shipping solutions involve everything that guarantees the integrity of the pharmaceutical products from the point of production to the delivery point. The cold chain delivery service therefore consists of the materials used for packaging, shipping materials required such as refrigeration units as well as cold storage facilities that are required at the delivery points. Since there are many lives that depend on the successful transportation and delivery of pharmaceuticals, the rules of shipping pharmaceuticals require that these products be shipped in what can be described as a controlled environment. The process at times involves using complex and long routes as a safety precaution. Shipping of pharmaceuticals is highly regulated in order to achieve cold chain compliance. To overcome some of the logistics challenge that come with shipping pharmaceuticals, below are tips that can ensure that these temperature-sensitive products get to their destination in perfect condition.
Choose a Logistics Expert who has Healthcare Experience
When dealing with sensitive goods such as medicine and pharmaceuticals, make sure that your logistics partner has extensive healthcare experience. Do not go for a general freight forwarder or service that has no experience in whatever product you are shipping. The whole idea of having someone with healthcare experience is that such a person can help minimize some of the risks that come with shipping pharmaceuticals. Experience in healthcare also means that the logistics partner can provide expert opinion in case of any challenges along the way. A good freight service always hire personnel in different areas to assist in the movement of specialized good. By picking the right partner, you will ensure that the risks involved in pharmaceutical shipping are minimal and that you will not incur costly write-offs for not following rules for shipping pharmaceuticals.
Understand the Rules and Regulations
When it comes to rules for shipping pharmaceuticals, the regulations tend to vary from one country to the other. Depending on the nature of the products, pharmaceutical products are subject to FDA and DEA standards. Other medical equipment that are expensive such as an MRI requires that the freight services meet the set standards in packaging especially for fragile goods. Medical samples on the other hand are subject to regulations related to hazardous material. Throughout the delivery process, rules for shipping pharmaceuticals require that the temperature controls be maintained. Temperature controls are not entirely all about keeping medical and pharmaceutical products cool. When subjected to extremely low temperatures, the products will get destroyed the same way they would when subjected to heat. Depending on the mode of shipping, you often find that there is a lot of temperature fluctuations throughout the journey. In most cases, cold chain shipping requires that temperature be maintained between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. In order to have a better idea of the ideal temperature of the pharmaceutical products, you can check the recommendations from the manufacturer.
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