Enabling dedicated patient treatment and support, no matter the location

As a long-term customer, the manufacturer was impressed by our extensive track record on quality and regulatory compliance, as well as our carefully considered plan to deliver this treatment on time. They felt confident that we were the ideal partner for the task.

The patient’s clinician had collaborated with the customer and local doctors in Greece to create a unified medical plan for treating the patient during their overseas travel. Charlotte would not have traveled without the reassurance that World Courier could successfully transport the therapy within required temperature conditions and time frames.

World Courier are committed to delivering treatments on schedule and within the required temperature range. To ensure this, every step of the process is meticulously planned and prepared — from packaging and temperature handling to carefully selecting the transportation route, whether it be by road or air.

To meet the intricate and demanding requirements of the treatment, a reliable shipping container solution was essential.

To control temperature and safely transport the shipment from Australia to Greece, a 12L global thermal container (GTC) was chosen for its ability to sustain controlled refrigerated (+2°C to +8°C) temperatures, regardless of external ambient temperatures or during transit. World Courier leveraged real-time monitoring to keep a watchful eye over the shipping container transiting the medication.

When shipping internationally, important paperwork is prepared in advance to help facilitate timely customs clearance. This unique process ‘okay to send’, is unique to World Courier and is designed to minimize delays, particularly when crossing borders.

This paperwork includes a mandatory customs or commercial invoice, as well as other documentation — such as packing list, end use letter, or other country-specific documentation — and is submitted to regulatory bodies at the destination. In this particular case, there was also supporting letters from the physician and a letter directly from the patient to the Greek authorities explaining her condition and what would happen if she was not treated. By ensuring this documentation was prepared prior to shipping, the shipment was optimized for the fastest possible clearance upon arrival and helped prevent delays.

Significant challenges with local customs authorities during the customs clearance process however still presented themselves. The operations and customer service teams in Greece responded promptly to the issue and worked quickly with the customer and local customs officers to find an alternative solution, ensuring that the lifesaving medicine was cleared for delivery.