Pharmaceutical air cargo is entering a more demanding phase. Temperature control remains fundamental, but protecting increasingly valuable and sensitive therapies now requires stronger risk assessment, greater visibility and closer coordination across every handover.
In a recent Cold Chain Insights video interview, Fabrice Panza, Global Head of Pharma Solutions at Etihad Cargo, explains how pharmaceutical logistics capabilities are developed and why certification alone is not enough.
Building quality into every shipment
Standards such as GDP and IATA CEIV Pharma provide an essential framework, but reliable execution depends on how consistently those standards are applied. Infrastructure, trained personnel, documented procedures and continuous learning must operate together across the entire transport chain.
Lane risk assessment is particularly important. Each routing introduces different airports, climatic conditions, handling environments, transfer times and operational vulnerabilities. Understanding those risks before departure allows logistics partners to select the right route, packaging, monitoring and contingency measures for each shipment.
From shipment tracking to predictive visibility
Visibility is also moving beyond knowing where a shipment is. The next step is using data to identify potential deviations early enough to intervene before product integrity is affected.
This becomes increasingly important as pharmaceutical supply chains accommodate precision medicines, advanced therapies and other high-value products that may travel in smaller quantities but carry far greater financial and patient impact. For these shipments, timing, temperature stability and rapid exception management are inseparable.
Panza also discusses the growing role of regional distribution centres, including developments in the Middle East, and the importance of maintaining control when cargo moves between airlines, warehouses, ground handlers and onward transportation providers. Every handover represents a potential point of exposure, making shared procedures and clear accountability essential.
Pharma logistics is an ecosystem capability
No airline, forwarder, airport or technology provider can protect the cold chain independently. Reliable pharmaceutical logistics depends on qualified partners exchanging operational knowledge, aligning standards and maintaining visibility throughout the journey.
This is the principle behind NAP Pharma, the pharma vertical of Neutral Air Partner, bringing together qualified freight forwarders, airlines, GSSAs, handlers, packaging providers, technology companies and compliance specialists active in pharmaceutical, healthcare and life sciences logistics.
Fabrice Panza has previously contributed his expertise at events powered by NAP and remains an active voice within Pharma.Aero. His interview offers a valuable perspective on how the industry must combine certification, infrastructure, data and human expertise to build more resilient pharmaceutical supply chains.
Watch the full interview: Fabrice Panza: Etihad Reshaping Pharma Logistics
Source: Cold Chain Insights via the original NAP Pharma post
