任何自己经历过严重疾病的人, 或者看到所爱的人接受了至关重要的医疗护理, 想要最好的治疗. When it comes to our health, we don’t like to take chances. We want the highest possible standards and demand it of our medical systems.
在极少数情况下, 除非这是唯一的选择, would anyone suggest that “good enough” was what they would want for themselves or their family. 然而，有一个明显的例子表明，在哪里仅仅是OK, 而不是出众, 常被接受为系统的一部分:冷链.
进一步解释一下, cold-chain refers to the various steps and journeys that temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals go through in order to get from manufacturer to patient. It requires methods of keeping the shipment at the correct temperature and moving it fast – via air cargo – to ensure it remains within the required temperature range.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that everything possible is done to achieve this. 然而温度偏差是会发生的. 结果? 货物必须被扔掉.
这是一个丑闻. 这种浪费是不可接受的, avoidable and could have a knock-on impact on the ability to administer a vaccine, drug or therapy on time because it arrived in a poor condition and had to be destroyed. 简而言之, “good enough” can create unnecessary waste that shouldn’t be acceptable in modern medicine.
出什么问题了??
For decades, temperature-sensitive shipments have been made in passive containers. They’re called so because they don’t have anything in them that proactively works to maintain the temperature within. These containers are often cardboard boxes full of insulation and cool packs. Once you’ve packed them up, there’s one thing guaranteed: they will warm up. Or, if the ambient temperature is below the required range, the product inside will become too cold. 这同样很糟糕.
Betting on the “good enough” path to get to the destination on time and without a deviation is a calculated risk. 在许多情况下，被动容器可以完成这项工作. 这个选择是, 当然, more acceptable for drugs that can be shipped with a wider temperature range.
但如果有更好的呢, 低成本的救生运输解决方案, 温度控制的共同参与?
活跃的容器
An active container is one that operates like a giant battery-powered, 智能绝缘装置. 完全充电, it can maintain a constant internal temperature for up to a week (170 hours in some cases). 如果插上电源，它可以无限期地这样做. They’re purpose built to be loaded as freight and travel round the world in a circular economy like a high-tech shipping container designed specifically for air transport.
Taking the example of an m88官方下载 说唱e2 container, data shows there is a temperature deviation rate of 0.1%. Throughout 50,000 real trips, the 说唱e2 has never had a product loss. 这是一个合理的结论, 因此, that degradation of vaccines must largely be caused by passive packaging solutions.
If one part of a journey becomes delayed – through flight cancellations, customs issues or handling problems – the passive solution comes closer to failure. 使用主动解决方案，风险要低得多. If plugged in, the container can maintain temperature almost indefinitely. 但好处还不止于此. 事实上，成功有四大支柱.
四大支柱
过程是第一支柱. 在所有领域，时间就是金钱. Passive containers can take up to five days to prepare, with coolants requiring up to three days for pre-conditioning, 然后是手工组装. 一个活动单元准备好使用. 在某些情况下, they can fully charge in as little as eight hours and are designed as Unit Load Devices (ULD) for a perfect fit on an aircraft and forklifting.
These units are rugged, and are leased on demand instead of bought in bulk. 更重要的是, they have a payload efficiency of 50 – 55 per cent compared to 15 – 45 per cent for passive. Overall, they can be up 35 per cent more space efficient, which reduces costs and emissions.
第二个支柱是质量. This is where active really differs from the “good enough” passive containers. They adjust internal temperature up or down to compensate for changes in external conditions. Even if the container is on the tarmac in Dubai at up to 40oC, the contents remain safe and there are no hot spots owing to air distribution systems.
成本是第三个支柱. Passive “good enough” solutions are often seen as the low-cost choice. But it’s been proven that active solutions are at least the same cost level overall, 而且往往成本更低. 这是因为它们是按需出租的, 不是批量购买和储存, 你可以一次放更多的东西进去. They are about 29 per cent more efficient in terms of chargeable weight thanks to the larger size, lower volume of insulation and reduced likelihood of shipment loss.
第四个支柱是可持续性. With the world having held its breath as COP26 battled over plans to halt global warming, 这一点从未如此重要. 主动容器更环保. 事实上, greenhouse gas emissions associated with them are up to 90 percent compared to available passive solutions, 基于生命周期分析.
当“足够好”并不是那么好
因为这些原因, it’s clear that passive containers don’t even live up to their “good enough” label. While they may long have been the industry standard – and do have a place in the cold-chain for low-risk shipments – they’re no longer fit for purpose when medicines are becoming more complex and expensive. They’re an environmental problem, cost more and have higher risks associated with them.
Anyone considering the best way to ship temperature-sensitive treatments across the globe needs to remember these facts.
我想我们都知道我们会做出怎样的选择.