Specialised transport insures vaccine integrity

George Herald received a query from a concerned reader regarding the safe transport of vaccines to ensure that the quality of the vaccines people receive in the Garden Route, especially in more remote areas, is not compromised.

Nadia Ferreira, district health spokesperson, says every possible measure is taken to ensure vaccine integrity and efficacy, in compliance with international best practice and World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

She explains the process and protocols:

All pharmaceutical products are transported by appropriately specialised means in such a way that they are secure and are not subjected to unacceptable (degrees of heat / cold) temperature excursions.

Thus temperature checks are done at the point of delivery and point of receipt to ensure vaccines are still viable and have not been compromised.

During transport, continual temperature monitoring devices are used to track the temperature changes, and if an excursion is noticed, the data on the device will be downloaded.

However, this is only done if there is a clear excursion.

In any event the temperature at the time of delivery is recorded, as is the result on the freeze indicator.

The transportation guidelines form part of our good pharmacy practice guidelines for vaccines. Items such as refrigerator trucks, cars, ships and containers are validated to adhere to required standards and then approved for transporting thermolabile [readily destroyed or deactivated by heat] pharmaceutical products.

In the event of the mode of transport not being specific for the transportation of such products, the specialised packaging, like validated cooler bag packaging, is used.

In addition, for purposes of transportation, the route is planned and assessed and/or validated to ensure that delays and/or exposure to extreme temperatures are correctly assessed, and throughout the route temperatures are then monitored with the continual temperature monitoring system and in addition, an electronic freeze indicating monitor.

During transportation, thermolabile pharmaceutical products are not packaged with non-pharmaceutical items or containerised with any other goods.

Temperature data loggers, refrigeration tags, freezer tags, log tags or cold chain monitoring cards that comply with or meet WHO specifications, monitor the temperature of the loaded area of the transportation throughout the trip, and the validated cooler box packaging has a temperature monitoring device that complies or meets with WHO specifications.

Staff transporting thermolabile pharmaceutical products are appropriately trained for cold chain management to maintain the cold chain within the manufacturer’s specification.

People must continue, until it is safe and we have herd immunity, and beyond, to continue practising non-pharma interventions, because these interventions have shown to be best against any disease.

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