A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. It typically involves constant refrigeration of the product from the time of its production through its transportation, handling, storage, and delivery. Increasing volumes of pharmaceutical cold products, the complexity of these products, and the complexity of the associated supply chain are causes for concern. Organizations need adequate control over the cold chain of their pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical distribution systems.
Pharmaceutical cold chain equipment and management service providers offer a variety of shipping container options, temperature tracking devices and data loggers. Sophisticated instruments are available that can measure temperature, shock, humidity, vibration, and other attributes. Some may have GPS capability and the option of real-time tracking and reporting. RFID is also available for easy information gathering.