ABSTRACT
Protein-based medications are expensive and susceptible to damage from mechanical shock, which may occur during shipping to patients from pharmacies. Our objectives were to evaluate the performance of 2 packaging systems and to describe the mechanical shock that occurs during shipments. The packaging systems evaluated were boxes containing expanded polystyrene (EPS) or soft lint-like foam, prepared with and without polymer cooling packs. In laboratory-based studies, accelerometers measured g forces in boxes dropped from varying heights. Transportation studies evaluated the EPS cooler when sent to locations via 2 vendors. The relationship between drop height and maximum force vector was approximately linear for drop heights of 7.5â³ through 30â³, with lower magnitude forces at 45â³ and 60â³. Soft foam reduced force by 9.8 g on average compared to EPS (p < 0.009). The presence of polymer packs mitigated forces; frozen packs reduced forces by 28 g versus thawed packs (p < 0.001). Transportation experiments demonstrated most impacts were in the low (10-24 g) and low-medium (25-49 g) range (95% of all impacts). There was no difference between impacts during shipments with the vendors, and there was no correlation between distance traveled and number of impacts. Overall, mechanical shock during shipping is both prevalent and contingent upon the packing materials used.
