Pharma

1. What does the „PIL” service mean?
   • PIL is a type of service dedicated for shipments containing pharmaceuticals and other materials for a medical use. PIL ensures the temperature controlled during the time of storage (passive service) or during the whole transport chain (active service). Additionally, PIL does mean a whole lot of quality procedures regarding the particular requirements in handling by the trained personnel. PIL guarantees the highest priority in loading the cargo and the fastest possible warehouse handling. PIL shipments are stored separately from any other goods, according to the regulations which are applying to the particular PIL consignment.
2. What is the passive service?
   • Passive service is performed in the special dedicated packaging system. During that kind of transport the required temperature is maintained only during the time of storage.
3. What is the active service?
   • Active service is performed in the active containers, which ensures maintaining the required temperature range during the whole transport.
4. Am I allowed to book/send the pharmaceutical product in the general cargo service?
   • If the commodity of a shipment is a pharmaceutical product, then it is mandatory to book it in the PIL service.
5. What does the „PBR” mean?
   • PBR is a Pharma Booking Request, that means an electronical booking sheet in the PDF format, which must be filled by the shipper and delivered along with the booking request.
6. Why do I need to fill the PBR (Pharma Booking Request)?
   • Pharmaceutical shipments require additional data to be shared in order to differ them from the general cargo. PBR helps to clarify the expectations of a customer for the airline – it aggregates all the necessary data in one file. That data is necessary to correctly assess the capabilities of the carrier.
7. May LOT Cargo provide the temperature control during the trucking time?
   • Yes, according to the requirement of maintaining the temperature controlled, LOT offers trucking with the temperature-controlled trucks
8. May the Time & Temperature Sensitive label be used for any cargo other than PIL?
   • No.
9. May I send the PIL shipment without a specified temperature range?
   • No. Every PIL shipment must be transported in the specified temperature range. The reason behind that requirement is not only a nature of the goods and it’s sensitivity to the temperature, but also the other handling and storing requirements of pharmaceutical shipments.
10.  What needs to be done in order to send a PIL shipment?
    • Proper process as below:
      • requesting a reservation while using the PBR data sheet;
      • marking the shipment with Time & Temperature Sensitive labels
      • issuing the AWB complying with the IATA TCR (chapter 7)
11. What do the COL, CRT, FRO codes mean?
    • Those are the handling codes used for the shipments with temperature control requirements
      • COL – temperature range between +2°C and +8°C.
      • CRT – temperature range between +15°C and +25°C.
      • FRO – shipments that need to be stored in the freezer (below -18°C)
12. What is the PharmaOPS?
    • PharmaOPS is a personnel qualified for supervising the proces of transport of pharmaceutical shipments. Contact: pharmaops@lot.pl
13. I would like to buy thermal blankets, whom should I contact?
    • Please contact the PharmaOPS Team.
14. I would like to send a big consignment of pharmaceutical goods, whom should I contact in that matter?
    • Please contact the LOT CARGO PharmaOPS Team and Cargo Sales: cargosales@lot.pl.
15. Is LOT CARGO transporting PIL shipments in active/hybrid containers which belong to the customer?
    • Yes, it is possible, please contact the PharmaOPS Team to discuss the details.

The pharmaceutical supply chain is made up of all the parties involved in the transportation and warehousing process in order to keep products at the correct temperature and safely deliver the goods from the shipper, to the destination. In every supply chain, we identify "Critical Control Points" where there is a risk of temperature excursions. These points should serve as guidelines for proper transportation planning.

Examples of critical control points (passive system):