Balancing cost and cold-chain integrity to deliver diabetes therapy to Bolivian patients
For patients living with diabetes in Bolivia, semaglutides are critical medication, offering improved management of blood sugar levels and the potential for a better quality of life. During 2024, a global shortage was impacting diabetes sufferers worldwide, making access to this therapy even more challenging.
A pharmaceutical distributor sought to bring semaglutides to Bolivia as part of its broader efforts to expand access to underserved markets. However, the high transportation costs associated with shipping temperature-sensitive products — combined with unreliable cold chain logistics — presented a significant challenge. The distributor needed a logistics partner that could deliver the therapy safely, reliably, and affordably.
The situation
The distributor faced a critical logistics dilemma. Its existing provider in Bangladesh was consistently missing transportation timelines and, more importantly, could not guarantee cold-chain integrity. Semaglutides are highly temperature sensitive, requiring strict control between +2 °C to +8 °C throughout transport. Any deviation could compromise efficacy, risking patient safety and wasting valuable product during a global shortage.
Alternative, non-specialist logistics providers offered lower rates, but none could assure reliable transit times or stable temperature control across such complex transport lanes. The stakes were too high to compromise. Failed shipments would not only cause financial loss but could also leave Bolivian patients without essential medication.
To succeed, the distributor required an ironclad logistics plan that could overcome the lack of direct flights and capacity restrictions, while guaranteeing both temperature integrity and on-time delivery. Only a specialist partner could meet those conditions.
“What motivates me is the real-world impact logistics can have on people’s lives. In this case, it meant getting vital diabetes treatments to communities in Bolivia despite the complexity. When access to care hangs in the balance, every shipment becomes a lifeline.”
Carolina Jiminez, Sales Manager, World Courier
The solution
Managing complex, temperature-sensitive shipments to and from Latin America is familiar territory for World Courier. Drawing on decades of experience and a global network of owned offices, local teams designed a solution that met all of the distributor’s requirements.
Shipments were routed strategically to maximize efficiency and minimize risk, traveling through Dubai and Miami before reaching Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Miami served as a critical hub where phase-change materials (PCMs) were replenished inside temperature-controlled vehicles to maintain consistent temperatures for the final leg of the journey. This multi-stop approach ensured every vial arrived in pristine condition while maintaining continuous visibility and control throughout the supply chain.
Coordination across World Courier's global network was essential to success. With limited on-board capacity, shipments were scheduled weekly to maintain steady flow. Each shipment followed good distribution practice (GDP) standards and used our Cocoon packaging solution — proven for reliability with high-value pharmaceutical products.
This level of planning, oversight and risk mitigation demands specialist expertise. By combining unbroken temperature management with precision route design, World Courier delivered an innovative, sustainable and fully compliant solution tailored to the distributor’s needs.
The outcome
World Courier delivered 100,000+ semaglutide units to Bolivia across eight shipments — with zero temperature deviations, verified through real-time monitoring. The four-month supply now ensures continuous patient access during a critical global shortage.
Balancing affordability with uncompromising quality
“We are very satisfied with the price/performance ratio. Requests and last-minute inquiries are always accommodated. It's straightforward, always objective, and very friendly. Working together is a pleasure. Many complex aspects are taken care of for us, allowing us to stay focused on what matters most.”
A World Courier customer