6681 Snowdrift Road
Toll Free:
Fax:
Email:
Yourway frequently coordinates the logistics of clinical trial supply chains and logistics, including on an international level. Case in point: On July 19, 2024, Yourway arranged to take critical biological samples from a patient in Paris, France, to a lab in Amsterdam for testing and analysis. This involved a nurse and driver arriving at the patient’s home together, so that the nurse could collect the required samples, immediately place them in a temperature-controlled container, and hand them off to the driver for transport without delay.
From there, the driver planned to take the samples to an airport, approximately half an hour away, to be flown to their destination via air freight. Temperature control and transport speed were particularly important for this shipment because the samples had a shelf life that limited transit times to a maximum of 24 hours before the live cells would no longer be viable.
Challenge
As it happened, on that same day, there was a massive, worldwide IT outage caused by a faulty update to a major security software line. In fact, the operational difficulties caused by the outage would ultimately lead to some airlines being unable to function normally for days.
However, because of its air freight partnerships, Yourway received early morning notice that this outage would ground and delay many planned flights. The Yourway team quickly realized that waiting to see how the situation would play out, or when normal flights would resume, would put the time-sensitive patient samples in jeopardy. An alternative method of transport would clearly be necessary.
Solution
Notified of the airline issues early on, the team promptly took action and decisively pivoted to an alternative approach. The first step was to get approval from the client to use a different form of transportation than previously agreed upon, to ensure there would be no unauthorized actions. Then, the driver — who was originally scheduled to take the samples for a 30-minute drive to the airport — was requested, instead, to drive the seven hours to the lab in Amsterdam. Despite the significant increase in transit time, the driver recognized that maintaining high service levels was paramount with a premium courier such as Yourway.
Outcome
The samples were successfully delivered to the lab within the required timeline, leaving the patient, nurse, and central lab all completely satisfied. And, since the temperature-controlled container was capable of maintaining the correct temperature for 96 hours — more than enough time to leave a buffer for any delays — there were no temperature excursions over the course of the drive, despite the longer-than-anticipated travel time. Ultimately, the impact of the IT outage on this time-sensitive shipment was minimal.
This scenario was one of many similar situations caused by the IT outage that Yourway overcame. Thanks to Yourway’s foresight, a contingency plan is always in place to ensure that client needs are met — even in unexpected circumstances. This flexibility and agility in responding to this challenge underscores Yourway’s dedication to its clients, and its ability to adapt to unforeseen situations.
Learn more about Yourway’s clinical trial supply chain and logistics management here, or contact us at info@yourway.com.