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Issue 8 2018 - FBJNA


MIA is recognized by IATA as the second pharma hub airport in the world. (Photo courtesy of Miami-Dade Aviation Dept. © 2018)


///AIR CARGO


Air cargo industry hot on pharma shipments


By Karen E. Thuermer


The global pharmaceutical industry is booming. Market research firm Evaluate Pharma reports in its annual World Preview report


that


the global growth rate for the pharma industry is predicted to reach $1.12 trillion in 2022. “On the surface, pharmaceutical


shipping


would appear to be a golden opportunity


for air cargo


shippers,” writes Accelya, a provider of financial and commercial solutions to the airline industry. “Besides its potential growth, transporting pharmaceuticals quickly via air provides an important hedge against potential


future disruptions, such as 3D printing.” But several factors are to


critical maintaining air


cargo’s edge in transporting p harma c eu ti c als: compliance, standardization, accountability,


and


transparency. For one, pharmaceuticals must be delivered on schedule to protect their value. They also require special handling protocols. In addition, many pharmaceuticals are highly sensitive to temperature, humidity, pressure, and sunlight. “It can be difficult enough to maintain those conditions


in secure climate controlled buildings,” Accelya says on its website. “When those same pharmaceuticals are traveling in an unheated air cargo hold at 30,000 feet, the challenge can seem insurmountable. In fact, more than half of all pharmaceuticals that become unusable due to extreme temperatures do so while in the airport or on the aircraft.” Here is FBJNA’s look at what


various carriers and airports are doiong.


Pharma carriers


Despite these challenges, many air carriers see pharma as good and profitable and are developing a variety


of services and solutions. Some have made noteworthy efforts for nearly a decade. United Cargo. United


Cargo has been offering its TempControl service for pharmaceutical


shippers


since 2009. United emphasizes its standard operations procedures (SOPs) -- standard, customized, or a combination of both -- that Jan Krems, president, United Cargo, says are crucial to


maintaining the level


of quality that preserves shipment integrity for such highly sensitive commodities. United’s TempControl SOPs apply to every shipment using a multilevel approach, beginning with the product


SOP, continuing with station- specific SOPs, and then shipment-specific SOPs. “We work with all


participants in the supply chain to determine the optimum SOP for the specific route and commodity,” Krems says.


A feature developed for


TempControl customers and to sustain quality is United’s Control Tower. “The highly-


“We work with all participants


in the supply chain to determine the optimum SOP for the specific route and commodity.”


-- Jan Krems, president, United Cargo.


trained team of TempControl experts in our Control Tower in Houston serves as the single point of contact and manages all the processes, data and communication throughout the complete lifecycle of a TempControl shipment,” he explains. Proper and complete


necessary quality processes are established and everyone who will touch or impact TempControl shipments is completely trained in how to execute the different SOPs – including how to immediately react to any irregularities that may occur along


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training is pivotal. “We never certify a new TempControl handling station until all the


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