Mexico City -The governing committee of the Live Animals and Perishables Board (LAPB) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) today unanimously accepted the proposed draft document: Air Transport Logistics for Temperature-Sensitive Healthcare Products to be included in the next edition of the Perishable Cargo Manual.
Acceptance of the new requirement for the 240 member airlines occurred the opening day of IATA's inaugural World Cargo Symposium and "represents the beginning of a new chapter, literally and figuratively, for the handling of pharmaceutical freight." Said Eric Raemdonck, Secretary of the LAPB and Manager, Special Cargo Standards for IATA.
The document was authored by an 11 member, cross-industry working group that included IATA, PCCDG and C3 members, service providers, freight forwarders, and other partners related to packaging and distribution of medicinal cargo.
As chair of that working group, I was proud to represent the authors and introduce the document to the governing committee at their annual board meeting. It has been quite an undertaking as the document was drafted in less than 8 weeks. The airline industry, through the LAPB has demonstrated extraordinary cooperation with the PCCDG and other service providers involved in establishing relevant and practical guidelines for shippers handling healthcare products; in an effort to insure an industry-wide global standard of excellence.
The 7th Edition of the Perishable Goods Manual will become effective July 1st, 2007, and will for the first time, be binding to its members. "These are not nice-to-have's but required practices" stated Carl Kole, Co-Chair of the LAPB, "and this working, living document will go a long way in our industry in establishing what we hope is an on-going relationship with the pharmaceutical industry through the PCCDG."
I would like to recognize and congratulate the authors who unselfishly contributed their time and expertise to the writing of Chapter 17 of the IATA Perishable Goods Manual, Air Transport Logistics for Temperature-Sensitive Healthcare Products, and look forward to working with IATA and additional parters to industry in improving Good Cold-Chain Distribution practices.
Christa Baenziger, Sorono Labs and member of C3
Dr. Rafik H. Bishara, Chair, PCCDG
Michael English, Merck
Carl Kole, United Airlines Cargo Services and Co-Chair of IATA LAPB
Eric Raemdonck, Secretary LAPB and Manager Special Cargo Standards, IATA
Terry Sell, Envirotainer
Calvin Sharp, BAX Global
Edward Smith, PhD., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Nick Sticco, Bristol Meyers Squibb
David Ulrich, Abbott Pharmaceutical Operations
More on the impact this will have on the pharmaceutical industry in future postings as well as a review of highlights from the IATA World Cargo Symposium.
