The pharmaceutical industry, the cold chain and its challenges

One of the significant challenges of the pharmaceutical industry is the adequate transportation of vaccines, biomedicines, blood and other products that require temperature control to keep them safe.

From the manufacturing of the product until its arrival to the final consumer, many standards must be fulfilled to ensure that quality is kept intact, and this becomes even more relevant when talking about cold chain products. It safeguards the maintenance of the quality of the product with controlled temperature so that its active principle and final product do not change, compromising the effectiveness, efficacy, stability and physicochemical characteristics of the drug.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 50% of all vaccines produced worldwide reach their destinations deteriorated due to the breakdown of the cold chain. The biggest failure is in controlling the temperature (about 40%), compromising the quality of the product and causing possible health risks.

The control and monitoring of the temperature of the transported pharmaceuticals are one of the pillars of the integrity of the product.

To ensure the quality of clinical exams, raw materials, vaccines and other medicines, it is essential to take into consideration the recommendations of the manufacturers. In general, the suggestions are concerning acceptable temperature and humidity limits for transportation and storage.

There can be found temperature-sensitive medicines, ranging from 15 °C to 30 °C, or others requiring storage in a frozen environment, such as blood products. There are also others requiring a refrigerated climate, with temperatures of 2 °C at 8 °C, as vaccines and insulins, or those that need to be kept in a cooled environment, with the temperature varying between 8 °C and 15 °C.

The temperature control that is required, the delicacy of the product and its high added value are the main characteristics of the cold logistics in the pharmaceutical segment. This demands specific refrigeration chambers, temperature monitoring systems and specialized care in the elaboration of transport packaging, pallet handling and handling in general. In the case of biological medicines, there are also very delicate procedures from receipt to shipping and transportation, making the process even more complicated.

For this reason, it is crucial to have a reliable and professional supplier of Reefer Refrigeration equipment on hand when you need them.

At Fridge Rentals, we have a profound understanding of the pharmaceuticals industry. We supply high-quality equipment when you need it, and on the terms you need it. We include a 24/7 breakdown service in our contracts and have our own team of engineers who cover the whole of Ireland.