Clinical supply & logistics
Many logistics providers are investing in driving sustainability with electric or hybrid vehicles and smarter route planning to cut emissions.
which have a strong track record in optimising shipping models and balancing environmental concerns with the need for speed.
Reducing waste
Another important strategy for mitigating climate impact is by reducing waste – both in terms of product waste and packaging waste. The former, says Rose, can be addressed with better inventory management and forecasting solutions.
“If a product is high quality and its supply chain has a reduced carbon footprint, but is at a cost that is prohibitive... then this isn’t a sustainable solution – nor a solution at all.”
50%
The percentage of AstraZeneca’s fleet that is now fully electric, with plans to use 100% renewable energy by 2025.
AstraZeneca 47x
Air freight generates 47 times more greenhouse gases per ton-mile than ocean shipping.
MIT 30
“Forecasting clinical trials is a difficult task as there are many variables that arise or change throughout the process, but it’s critical to the management of supplies and reducing waste,” he says. Over the next few years, we will start to see many of these forecasting processes automated using new digital tools, such as AI and machine learning. These tools, thinks Rose, will be key for the overall reduction of waste, as well as providing alternative methods for product movement through the market. Clinical trial sponsors will be able to run through all possible scenarios ahead of time, for instance modelling what might happen if enrolment numbers or study resources change. This will help them ascertain what kinds of goods and materials they might need, and when they might need them – critical considerations for boosting the sustainability of a trial.
Similarly helpful for reducing waste is the real-time monitoring of stock. For instance, companies might use special sensors, enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT), to keep track of products as they move through the cold chain. Logistics providers can receive notifications whenever any temperature deviations occur, giving them a better chance of remedying the problem. Data can be logged automatically, and retrospective analyses performed.
Packaging waste can be minimised not only through better inventory management, but also through changing the materials used. Rose notes that Clinigen uses reusable packaging materials for all its shipments, reducing the carbon footprint that comes from destroying old materials and creating new ones. “Packing materials are in a constant state of evolution – to meet demand, packagers are having to switch between the safest and most cost- effective packaging,” says Rose. “However, it’s more crucial than ever that packages also follow specific environmental standards. All packing in the future must be reusable packaging, while sustaining a safe temperature for up to 160 hours outside of a refrigerated space.”
For instance, many logistics providers are now packing their temperature-sensitive products with vacuum-insulated panels and Phase Change Material (PCM) based coolants. Both parts are reusable: the vacuum-insulated panels can be used efficiently for more than five years, and the cooling elements for an indefinite basis. Taken together, the packaging can maintain the temperature set point for several days or even as long as a week. Because it doesn’t require an energy source, unlike traditional refrigerated containers, it creates no emissions when in use. And while high-performance solutions of this nature are expensive to purchase, that cost needs to be offset against the likely gains. It’s clear that boosting the sustainability of the cold chain structure, while a challenging task, is more than achievable with the right kind of mindset shift. However, Rose goes on to caution that environmental considerations should never be a valid reason to complicate or overprice the cold chain.
“What many suppliers are most concerned about is that these sustainable changes are economically viable for the future, and don’t pass on added costs to patients,” says Rose. “This could reduce patients’ access to medicine, a side effect that the global population can’t afford. We must challenge ourselves across the industry to both increase access and sustainable standards in one go.” ●
Clinical Trials Insight /
www.worldpharmaceuticals.net
Vector street/
Shutterstock.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37
