UPS freight forwarding operation at Changi Airport has received the IATA CEIV Pharma Certification for pharmaceutical logistics thereby enhancing Singapore healthcare supply chain capabilities.

UPS said the certification is its first in the Asia Pacific and strengthens the value proposition of UPS’s healthcare logistics offering in the region. It also validates the firm's capabilities in the safe, secure and efficient transportation of high-value, time-sensitive and temperature-controlled pharmaceutical cargo.

“Pharmaceuticals are time and temperature-sensitive, requiring an extra amount of care throughout the transportation process. These are not typical packages, and at times life-saving deliveries as well. This certification is an affirmation of the high standards of handling and transportation that UPS’s customers in the healthcare and life sciences sector have come to rely on for their high-value shipments,” said Lim Bee Koong, director, healthcare strategy, UPS Asia Pacific.

IATA’s CEIV Pharma Certification is an industry certification developed by IATA, regulators and aviation industry stakeholders that evaluates companies on a comprehensive range of criteria including quality management systems, facilities, equipment, operations and staff expertise.

The certification requires companies to meet or exceed many existing pharmaceutical standards and guidelines such as IATA Temperature Control Regulations, European Union Good Distribution Practices, World Health Organisation Annex 5 Good Distribution Practices for Pharmaceutical Products and United States Pharmacopeia Standards. 

Enhancing Singapore as a pharma hub

As a biomedical sciences hub for the Asia Pacific region, Singapore is home to eight of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies globally, manufacturing four of the top 10 drugs by global revenue.

UPS said with a third of scrapped pharmaceuticals globally attributed to logistics issues, maintaining the integrity of the healthcare supply chain is crucial to Singapore’s biomedical manufacturing sector.

“Enhancing its value proposition with an industry-leading set of standards like the IATA CEIV Pharma certification is part of UPS’s vision to inspire trust and empower innovation to improve patient care across the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem,” it said.

The certification follows the formation of a dedicated UPS Healthcare unit to connect all global UPS healthcare operations and commercial groups within a single business unit to streamline processes and enable faster turnarounds and decision-making.

UPS said the company is also in the midst of a structured transformation including investments in new capacity and automation for its Smart Global Logistics Network, leveraging data, analytics and innovative technology.

“Our continual upgrades and technology investments give us a high degree of visibility over the healthcare supply chain. For example, UPS has strategically placed control towers globally that monitor UPS Temperature True® shipments for any potential temperature excursions that may otherwise degrade temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. It’s this customer-first focus that has helped pave the way for our IATA CEIV Pharma Certification,” Bee Koong added.