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!