Swiss Post relies on va-Q-tec for temperature-controlled delivery of pharma products
- Germany is lagging behind: compliance with the cold chain for sensitive medicines is not adequately monitored in the “last mile.”
- Swiss Post has already made one million home deliveries using va-Q-tec thermal transport solutions.
- Passive cooling without refrigerated vehicles saves up to 40 percent CO2.
More and more pharmaceuticals are being shipped in Germany and delivered by parcel service providers, usually without the legally required temperature specifications. However, many pharmaceuticals are temperature-sensitive. If they are transported in shipping cartons at the wrong temperature for several hours or days, they can lose their effectiveness or, in the worst case, become harmful to health. Patient advocates and professional associations are therefore calling for mandatory temperature control of sensitive medicines on the so-called “last mile” to the patient. Swiss Post is showing how it can be done: it uses vacuum-insulated transport containers from Würzburg-based manufacturer va-Q-tec, a leading supplier of thermal transport packaging. The highly insulated boxes keep medicines at a stable temperature for days, without any external energy supply and in accordance with regulatory requirements (GDP compliance). Actively cooled refrigerated vehicles are no longer necessary. This saves costs, energy, and up to 40 percent CO2.
“Why compliance with the cold chain is not adequately monitored in Germany, even for deliveries of temperature-sensitive medicines to patients, is a mystery to me. Swiss Post shows how easy and efficient such transports are with our vacuum-insulated boxes in every season”, says Felix Rau, Vice President Business Unit TempChain at va-Q-tec.
Over one million deliveries with “ThermoCare” boxes
Since 2017, Swiss Post has been using va-Q-tec transport boxes for shipping medicines. There are two temperature ranges: 2-8 degrees Celsius and 15-25 degrees Celsius. Over one million shipments have been carried out since then using around 8,000 reusable “ThermoCare” boxes. These are pre-cooled at va-Q-tec’s TempChain Service Center, transported by Swiss Post to the pharmaceutical distributor, where they are then loaded with medicines and delivered to patients.
“The passive boxes from va-Q-tec have proven to be extremely reliable and environmentally friendly. Compared to actively cooled transport, we have been able to reduce our environmental impact by at least 20 percent and, on long distances, by as much as 40 percent. In addition, the reusable system reduces packaging waste and litter”, says Frank Daubenfeld, Product Manager at Swiss Post.
After delivery, the recipient removes the medication from the box and returns it to the service center. There, it is cleaned, checked, and reused.
va-Q-tec operates its own service center in Zurich
With the launch of the project, va-Q-tec set up a TempChain Service Center near Zurich in 2017. Here, employees ensure that the transport boxes are pre-cooled, maintained, and repaired as necessary.
“Together with Swiss Post, we are demonstrating on a large scale how secure last-mile delivery of medicines works, even under extreme temperature conditions, including for online pharmacies. Our vacuum-insulated thermoboxes maintain stable temperature ranges over several days – without any active cooling. This means we offer a proven solution for shipping medicines that meets regulatory requirements and protects patients’ health. Our boxes are robust, can be repaired, and reduce our customers’ operating costs and carbon footprint”, says Felix Rau.
Copyright images: “Swiss Post”