Crucial Variables Of Pre-Qualified Vs. Customized Temperature Sensitive Shipping Solutions

By Melissa Germain, M.Sc., Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, and Jean-Pierre Emond, Ph.D., The Illuminate Group
Over that last few years there has been a significant growth in the number of pre-qualified packaging systems available for the temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical/biological industry to use during the cold chain transportation process. The pharmaceutical products must be shipped within their required temperature range, such as frozen, refrigerated, and control-room temperature. The “off-the-shelf” pre-qualified solutions are developed and qualified to maintain the designated temperature during shipping for durations such as 24, 48, or 72 hours.
While the pre-qualified solutions may seem like a good option because the design work has already been completed, if the design criteria do not meet the actual usage, the package may not be effective. By simply understanding a few key variables that go into the design, testing, and real-life practices of temperature sensitive shipping containers, it is possible to determine if a pre-qualified shipper or a customized solution would be best based on risk, cost, and ease of integration.
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