Top 3 Clinical Trial Specimen Shipping Concerns

Please note: We inadvertently directed to the wrong web site for Quickstat; the correct url is below.

QuickSTAT, a shipping and logistics company specializing in time and temperature critical transportation for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry gave LabViews the following insight into shipping lab specimens for clinical trials: 1) Protecting specimen integrity, 2) Advisory communications, 3) Cost. Dan Catizone, VP of Business Development for QuickSTAT, offered that many of these samples are transported under frozen conditions on dry ice and need to have temperature consistently controlled to maintain sample viability from pick up to arrival at the end destination.

"If the delivery deadlines are effected due to flight delays, customs issues, etc., dry ice is checked and replenished. QuickSTAT also provides advisory commuications to the investigator site, sponsor and receiving laboratory so that everyone is aware when delays occur.” With this specialized service, comes higher costs and decisions. "We may be more expensive than an intergrated courier (FedEx, UPS, etc). However, the sponsor typically will weigh their risks when choosing between our service and the integrator service based on prior experience or where the site origins and lab destinations are located for the trial.”

The financial implications and delay to the clinical trial if a sample is lost or perishes in transit typically outweigh the cost of the shipping. Catizone said QuickSTAT's services are predominantly used for international trials. However, QuickSTAT has seen an increase in the number of domestic trials they are awarded. QuickSTAT also offers annual Life Science training seminars that focus on the regulations governing how these samples must be shipped by air. The company is considering adding an import regulations component to these seminars which commence in the fall. Click here to visit the company web site: www.qicstat.com.