International Transport for Biologic Substances Expands

UPS expanded its International Special Commodities (ISC) program to ship biological substances, dangerous goods in excepted quantities, and shipments using dry ice to more than 20 additional international destinations, the company announced on Mar. 5, 2015. The expansion is a direct response to a growing demand from biopharmaceutical manufacturers, diagnostics companies, laboratories, and distributors to ship these specialized commodities when security, time, and temperature control are a high priority. 

"The expanded program was guided by our customers to include the locations that are most important to them," said John Menna, UPS vice president of global strategy, healthcare logistics. UPS is now able to pick up and deliver packages under regulation UN3373 (Biologic Substances, Category B, Diagnostic Specimen and Clinical Specimen), as well as UN1845 (carbon dioxide, solid or dry ice) in Australia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Panama, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey and Ukraine, as well as Russia and Saudi Arabia, where UN1845 does not apply. UN3373 and UN1845 are guidelines issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to regulate the safe transportation of goods using air transportation modes.

Healthcare and life science companies shipping high-value, time- and temperature-sensitive shipments to, from, and within the US and key European markets, also have access to UPS Proactive Response Secure-a solution combining shipment monitoring and risk management to mitigate product spoilage. The service helps critical shipments reach their destinations even if unexpected events occur and covers potential losses if products are damaged or spoiled.

Source: UPS