Logistics & Supply Chain Management
How the War on COVID-19 is Driving Innovation in Temperature-controlled Packaging – and Beyond It has been a tough year. At times, throughout 2020, it has felt like we have been facing a battle with little end in sight. Although this may seem like an overly dramatic statement, the challenges brought by COVID-19 have invoked all kinds of wartime comparisons – we talk about health professionals on the ‘front line’, in the UK lockdown has rekindled memories of the ‘blitz spirit’, news conferences speak about ‘defeating’ the infection as if it is a physical opponent, with some going as far as to label the virus as an ‘invisible enemy’. And, of course, the grim reality of the tragic deaths caused by the pandemic regularly reminds us that lives are at stake. Yet in a switch in perspective, we can also seek a more positive parallel between the last few months and times of war: the inevitable and necessary acceleration in innovation – and innovative thinking – that is driven by the need to overcome a crisis. In this article, I want to outline how I believe the vital work being done to defeat COVID-19 is sparking innovative thinking and driving change, by looking at the pharma packaging sector both in terms of method of delivery and sustainability. It is also proving what can be done, with collaboration, focus and the will of humanity if we really want to make a change. Of course, I am not seeking to deny or downplay the clear challenges and tragic impact on so many that COVID-19 has ultimately brought with it. However, I want to focus on what could be the post-virus positives, those takeaways that I personally feel are so important to keep focus in times like this. We all need a potential silver lining when things feel so dark. Just as the technological innovations of the Second World War led to the moon landings and the social impact of World War One brought a revolution in housing, the response to COVID-19 will drive 90 INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Right now, as the world holds its breath for news of the successful development of a viable vaccine, the pharma industry is very much in the public’s thoughts.
scientific advances and societal change, ultimately bringing about improvements to benefit future generations.
the vaccines, syringes to deliver them, and on efforts to ramp up manufacturing and capacity.
Let’s return to the wartime analogy. There is no doubt that the horrors of 20th century conflicts drove medical and scientific advances. The challenges of treating troops in the field resulted in surgical advances. World War I brought about the regular use of blood transfusions. World War II expanded the use of antibiotics, which were mass produced for the first time. Vietnam saw the introduction of frozen blood products, and the use of antiseptic and antibiotic impregnated dressings.
The effects of this vital research – and the challenging times we live in – are also tangible in attitudes to packaging, delivery chains and business practices. For a start, the advent of lockdowns has accelerated the growing trend for home delivery and home working. The 21st century was already fast becoming an era of doorstep delivery, thanks to the growth of online shopping and global brands such as eBay and Amazon.
These were all life-saving advances triggered by crisis and, as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, innovation has once again been accelerated. In pharma, of course, that vital work can be most readily be seen in the more than 150 vaccines currently being developed across the globe at an accelerated pace, backed by eye-watering levels of funding. In the US, it has been reported that the federal government has allocated more than $9 billion to develop and manufacture candidate vaccines. More than $2.5 billion more has been earmarked for vials to store
When we first began our business producing temperature-controlled packaging, online shopping and commerce was seen as a novelty that was mistrusted by many – but we have seen it grow and grow. Enforced lockdowns have driven this trend further and faster, with home working and courier delivery growing exponentially. It could be argued that, in the lockdowns of 2020, online commerce finally came of age. In pharma, that has meant a need for passive temperature-controlled packaging solutions that can deliver medicines reliably to the doorstep – thanks to a sudden boom in online pharmacy, driven by the pandemic. Winter 2020 Volume 12 Issue 4
