- The diverse properties and individualized nature of pharmaceuticals
- Risks to patient health from improperly transported pharmaceuticals
- Laws and regulations governing pharmaceutical products
- Need for temperature regulation to keep products in a temperature range that’s often much more restrictive than other types of goods
- Higher shipping and insurance costs
1. Know the regulations and properties of what you’re shipping.
The golden rule of shipping and logistics is to know your cargo and, when that cargo is pharmaceuticals, compliance should be a major area of focus. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of all relevant regulations and best practices, possibly including:- FDA regulations for all pharmaceuticals
- DEA regulations for controlled substances such as opiates and benzodiazepines
- DOT hazmat laws if anything you’re shipping falls under hazmat laws, such as some chemicals or live organisms
- Best practices for shipping each pharmaceutical product, as determined by its manufacturer
2. Be aware of all of your options for temperature regulation.
Temperature regulation is a critical need for most pharmaceuticals, and so it can be beneficial to explore all options for managing it. You’ll have a few main choices: Temperature Controlled Shipping: In most cases, the ideal solution is to work with a provider of temperature controlled logistics. See the tip below for more information on this.- Dry Ice: This powerful chemical refrigerant is still widely used in cold chain logistics, but it can be challenging to handle safely. However, when you want a product kept at freezing temperatures or below, dry ice is still the industry standard. Make sure to check the CFR’s regulations on dry ice and familiarize yourself with them.
- Refrigerant Gel Packs: Many items don’t need to be kept frozen but require a refrigerated temperature from 32 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature controlled packaging such as refrigerant gel packs are a great option for this, and Air Sea offers eco-friendly models that are reusable, recyclable, and non-toxic.
- Insulated Styrofoam Coolers: These heavy-duty Styrofoam coolers can be a great supplement to other cooling methods like gel packs, thanks to their ability to prevent heat transfer.
Air/Sea 16 Oz. Refrigerant Gel Pack
3. Design your packaging carefully.
Pharmaceutical products often require specialized packaging solutions and shipping materials to meet their unique needs. At Air Sea, we have over 20 years of experience in helping our customers overcome shipping challenges by providing smart packaging solutions for all kinds of cargo. We’ve got many options that can be helpful for pharmaceutical shipping, including:- Custom corrugated shipping boxes designed to meet your specifications
- Biodegradable air pillows to protect goods from shifting in transit
- Absorbents such as vermiculite to control excess moisture
- UN-compliant hazmat shipping labels and placards
- 4. Look for a shipping partner with experience in pharmaceutical transport.