Seven of the top 10 global pharmaceutical products in 2014 will require cold-chain handling, contributing to a boom in the facilities, vehicles and packaging for this specialized function of the logistics industry. H1N1 aside, the global market for vaccines is showing strong growth. Many of the prophylactics are destined for infrastructure-poor regions of the world, increasing the need for cold-chain solutions.
For biopharma manufacturers, increased cold-chain shipments translate to process changes for the management of regulatory and reporting requirements, according to the Cold Chain Biopharma Logistics Sourcebook 2010.
"There are a growing number of validated technologies and transportation process options, particularly for real-time monitoring of a shipment's condition," says Nick Basta, co-author of the report, in an announcement. "Compliance officers and supply chain managers have many choices, and need not assume any longer that just because a shipment might be worth millions of dollars, it needs to have high-expense logistics service."
Basta also points out that not all biologics require cold-chain handling, nor are all small-molecule products free of the requirement. "But when you look at how national and international regulations are evolving, you see that even room-temperature products will soon require additional monitoring steps that add complexity to the transportation process."
- here's the release