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A million-plus reasons to value the pharmaceutical cold chain

More than 500 attendees and nearly 60 exhibitors energize the 8th Cold Chain Distribution for Pharmaceuticals Global Forum in Philadelphia.

Envirotainer
Envirotainer

If it sounds too good to be true, we’re advised, it probably is. But switching from traditional shipping containers and materials to more sustainable options yielded environmental benefits and financial savings in excess of $1 million a year for the packaging changes enacted by Medtronic Spinal & Biologics for its INFUSE® Bone Graft product.

Those “good news” benefits were reported by Robin Turner, director, global packaging development for Medtronic Spinal & Biologics. “We estimated cost savings of about $500,000 per year a few years ago before we ever had experience shipping product in the cold chain,” she said in her presentation, “Redesigning Long-Haul Shippers to Reduce Cost and Environmental Footprint.”

The results turned out to be much better than that prediction, said Turner at the Sept. 21 “Green and Innovative Packaging” session during the 8th Cold Chain Distribution for Pharmaceuticals Global Forum at Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Medtronic reduced the number of pack configurations, shipper sizes, the thickness of insulated foam within the shipper, and the number of gel packs necessary for cold chain shipments. Those decisions reduced labor costs associated with packing, required less energy in refrigeration and transport, and cut down on the amount of packaging waste its customers had to handle.

Turner explained that Medtronic is now shipping “five or six different temperature-sensitive items and is going to explore options with returnable packaging.”

Talecris emphasizes cold chain control

Recognizing that the lives of patients around the world depend on its human plasma products, Talecris Biotherapeutics emphasized the significance of the cold chain. The company works with its supply chain partners to deliver its fragile proteins safely from the veins of donors to the veins of patients.

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