Safe, more efficient pharma transport

Imbema, supplier of SBS trailer security products, has developed a white paper on the safe and efficient transport of pharmaceutical products such as medicines, vaccines, and biologicals. The white paper is free to download and contains not only unique insights relevant to pharmaceutical transport, but also practical tips for carriers of temperature-controlled goods and other high-value cargoes.

The pharmaceutical sector is a unique niche within the world of transport, and the volumes involved are huge. In Europe alone, more than 13,100 registered medicines accounted for sales of €269 billion in 2020 – an amount set to increase by 5.4% every year until 2028.

These pharma products have to be transported safely from manufacturers – via wholesalers and pharmacies – to end users, and is subject to exceptional requirements. Pharma products not only have to be transported under strict temperature-controlled conditions, but safely as well. A single trailer can contain medicines worth millions of rands, meaning the transportation of pharmaceuticals represents a unique challenge.

Content of the white paper

The white paper provides a practical guide for carriers who are interested in transporting pharmaceuticals, familiarising them in a step-by-step approach with the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines. These European rules are there to ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness of medicines throughout the logistics chain – a stellar point of reverence for any transport operator across the globe wishing to enter this sector.

The theoretical explanation is clarified with a number of customer cases, in which companies such as DHL and Van Os Healthcare explain how they arrange the transportation of pharmaceutical products and the challenges they face in the process.

A great deal of attention is, of course, also paid to what needs to happen internally at a business before pharmaceutical goods can be sent safely on their way. This involves staff training, awareness with regard to temperature and packaging methods, and theft prevention – which means learning about warehouse and truck security.

The white paper can be downloaded at www.imbema.com/pharma-transport.