A medicinal product, according to the definition provided in the Pharmaceutical Law Act, is a substance or mixture of substances presented as having properties for preventing or treating diseases in humans or animals, or administered for the purpose of making a diagnosis or to restore, correct, or modify physiological functions of the organism through pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic action [8, art. 2 item 32].
Due to their nature, medicinal products must be provided with specific conditions that must be met during their storage and transport.
Conditions for storage and transport of medicinal products
The conditions for the storage and transport of medicinal products have been compiled into Good Distribution Practice guidelines. Good Distribution Practice (GDP) specifies, among other things, the loading and transport of medicinal products, which, according to this document, should take place in a manner that guarantees: the identification of the medicinal product, its sender, and the recipient. During loading and transport, medicinal products should be protected against cross-contamination, pollution, mechanical damage or theft, and against the harmful effects of high and low temperatures, light, humidity, and other adverse factors. The temperature and humidity for storage and transport are determined by the marketing authorization holder or the relevant Pharmacopoeia. Furthermore, in accordance with the regulation of the Minister of Health regarding Good Distribution Practice procedures, the legislator allows for the transshipment of medicinal products in transshipment chambers located outside the wholesale warehouse, provided that the aforementioned requirements are met. According to the standards set out in the Pharmaceutical Law, a transshipment chamber should meet the same technical conditions as the premises of a pharmaceutical wholesaler. According to the Pharmaceutical Law Act, medicines may be stored in transshipment chambers for no longer than 36 hours, in closed transport packaging or in the manufacturer’s bulk packaging, while maintaining the conditions specified for the given medicinal products. Polish law does not specify the conditions for how medicinal products should be transported. It can be argued that if medicines are properly secured and the required temperature and humidity are maintained, they can be transported by any type of vehicle. Based on GDP, various methods and solutions should be used to guarantee the safety of medicines during transport.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine