Cold Chain on "Today in America" - Emerging Temp Control Management Trends

“Today in America,” hosted by Terry Bradshaw, will feature a five-minute segment on emerging cold chain management trends and technologies. It will air nationally on the FOX Business Network and in 19 major regional markets on CNN Headline News.

“The timing for the national exposure couldn’t be better,” said featured segment participant Matty Toomb, American Thermal Instruments (ATI) Vice President - Sales & Marketing. “Businesses are looking for greater efficiencies and cost savings, and at the same time, there’s more emphasis on accountability and compliance with regulatory issues in the cold chain.”

In addition to ATI, Minnesota Thermal Science (MTS), is also featured in the clip.

Watch the complete clip!

We welcome your comments and feedback on the segment and hope you'll catch it live when it airs as well!

The complete press release by ATI is included below:

Trend-Setting Technology Results in National Exposure for American Thermal Instruments

DAYTON, Ohio – September 17, 2010 – American Thermal Instruments (ATI) will be featured in a nationally broadcast video on emerging cold chain management technologies. “Today in America,” hosted by Terry Bradshaw, highlights the latest technological trends impacting people and businesses. The five-minute segment featuring ATI will air nationally on the FOX Business Network and in 19 major regional markets on CNN Headline News.

While ATI manufactures a broad range of temperature monitoring devices, it’s LOG-IC® wireless RFID technology is the primary focus of the “Today in America” broadcast. Brad Proctor, Executive Director & CEO of Dayton RFID Convergence Center, a business incubator, explains in the segment that visibility into the cold chain provides critical cost advantages today. Referencing LOG-IC, Proctor said, “this product is probably two years ahead of anybody else out there in the field.”

LOG-IC has been attracting the attention of the pharmaceutical, food, medical and chemical industries due to its ability to offer advanced temperature monitoring quickly and cost-effectively. “The timing for the national exposure couldn’t be better,” said Matty Toomb, ATI Vice President - Sales & Marketing. “Businesses are looking for greater efficiencies and cost savings, and at the same time, there’s more emphasis on accountability and compliance with regulatory issues in the cold chain.”

The broadcast also highlights the recent strategic partnership between ATI and Minnesota
Thermal Science (MTS), an international provider of solutions for transporting temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical, blood and biologic products.

LOG-IC technology will become an integral part of the MTS Credo® line of thermal shipping containers. In the broadcast, Karl Schlenker, MTS Vice President of Strategic Business Development explains the challenges of shipping temperature-sensitive materials and the significance of the partnership. “The two products working together now allow us to deliver the product, but also verify and maintain that there’s never been any excursion,” he said.

ATI and MTS both exhibited at the 8th Cold Chain Distribution for Pharmaceuticals Global Forum in Philadelphia, September 20-23, 2010. Attendees had the opportunity to view these trend-setting products and technologies and gain further insights on the benefits. In addition, registered attendees will receive an email with a link to the “Today in America” video. The video is posted on ATI’s website at http://www.americanthermal.com/ati/index.cfm/products/logice284a2/feature-story-on-log-ic-and-ati/

To learn more about LOG-IC and ATI’s complete line of temperature monitoring products, visit www.americanthermal.com.

Contact:

Matty Toomb
mtoomb@americanthermal.com
2400 East River Road
Dayton, OH 45439
937.429.2114

Over the past year, we worked with several participants of the 8th Cold Chain Distribution for Pharmaceuticals Global Forum to deploy a survey to understand and improve the handling of temperature controlled medicines during the 'last mile' before reaching the patient. We received survey responses from pharmacists, healthcare providers, pharmacy operations, and many others involved in the 'last mile'. The results from the survey were quite interesting and we thought we'd share the results.

We asked: What do you think the pharmaceutical industry could do to help?
Answers were:

• By being more consistent between manufacturers for the same product (ie. all manufacturers should have the same expiration dating even if it is slightly shorter to keep it the same.)
• Establish allowable shipping excursion limits (understanding mail order practices) and attaching temperature indicators
• Increased public awareness through education in simple, easily understood terms
• Continue to support improvement in technology, possible smart tag which would monitor not just accountability, but product information to assist and support patient adherence (compliance) technologies as well as monitor environmental conditions and potential impacts on product integrity
• Revisit product packaging design, blister packaging may better protect product, be more compatible with adherence tech, etc
• As a home health IV pharmacy technician, I only became aware of the cold chain process through research. When I first started at my current position, the shipping of refrigerated product was far different than it is now. Anything the industry can do to promote awareness is very important
• Temperature indicators on there product and descriptions on the effects of improper storage conditions
• Know the excursions times and impacts on the product
• Provide excursion data to pharmacies and/or provide recommended shipping containers that will ensure the integrity of their products
• Label packages with chemical temperature controls
• Do more studies for a wider range of temperatures. For refrigerated items, do studies involving what happens if product is exposed to freezing temperatures
• Better labeling
• Provide data on out of range temperatures
• More explicit information when temperature storage requirements are not met

What else can the pharmaceutical industry do to help pharmacists and healthcare providers? Weigh in and take the Healthcare Cold Chain survey!