Hidden Risks in Pharma Logistics: What’s Often Overlooked?

 

When it comes to pharma logistics, it is often considered a temperature game, keeping shipments within the proper range to protect product integrity. 

But is temperature control enough to keep the sample’s integrity?

Critical treatments, biologics, and cell and gene therapies travel worldwide daily. These products rely on strict handling conditions, but many hidden risks—humidity, impact, and packaging integrity—can compromise them long before arrival.

These factors don’t always make headlines but can turn a successful shipment into a silent failure.

 

The Risks You Can’t Afford to Ignore

A biological drug is packed carefully, temperature-controlled, and on its way. Everything looks good on the outside. However, rising humidity starts to affect the packaging inside. The drug still seems fine, but its stability is compromised. By the time it arrives, its effectiveness is uncertain.

On another journey, a high-value therapy is transferred between flights. It’s marked “fragile” and handled carefully, yet even a slight bump causes hidden damage—the vial fractures at a microscopic level. There’s no visible crack, but the treatment is weakened before it reaches the patient.

Even with compliant packaging, small punctures, weak seals, or unnoticed pressure changes can expose the therapy to harmful conditions. These issues often go unnoticed without real-time monitoring until it’s too late. The packaging is just one part of the solution—proper protection goes beyond the box.

 

From Risk to Control

These risks aren’t theoretical—they happen. But with the right level of visibility, they can be prevented.

That’s why CRYOPDP considers factors other than temperature, such as humidity, shock events, and packaging conditions. Through careful operational oversight and risk assessment, we proactively address these hidden challenges, helping safeguard sensitive shipments and reduce the risk of compromise.

In one case, a critical shipment showed a sudden environmental shift mid-transit. Without intervention, the product would have been unusable upon arrival. However, since our system detected the risk immediately, we promptly took corrective measures to maintain the shipment within the required safety standards.

 

How Resilient Is Your Supply Chain?

The difference between a successful and failed delivery often comes down to what you can’t see. These risks exist, but they don’t have to be uncontrollable.

 

Pharma logistics is more complex than simply maintaining temperature control. Hidden risks—fluctuating humidity, unseen shock events, and compromised packaging—can threaten product integrity. By identifying these risks early, you can take proactive steps to protect your shipments and ensure the safe delivery of critical therapies. The true challenge lies in maintaining visibility across the entire supply chain, from start to finish. 

When these risks are addressed in real time, the logistics operation becomes more resilient, ensuring your products stay secure and effective at every step. Understanding where these vulnerabilities lie is not just a precaution; it’s the foundation of a more reliable, efficient logistics strategy.