DUBAI — Aramex has launched Biocare Solution which will move clinical specimens and medical samples domestically and globally within a time frame under controlled temperatures. Biocare is an innovative delivery service suitable for the healthcare industry as it delivers clinical specimens and medical specimens which will be placed under controlled temperature so that they won't be damaged on the way to their destinations. “The Biocare Solution comes with temperature controlled boxes which maintain the required temperature for a period of 72 hours,” the company said in a press statement. “The solution enables laboratories, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to ship specimens or samples under preserved temperature and delivered within a set time frame.” Temperature sensitive clinical specimens or medical samples are placed in special boxes that maintain their temperature for up to 72 hours. The temperature inside the box is monitored during the entire supply chain, from pickup to delivery. What differentiates Biocare from other services is that the new solution goes further than existing medical courier services as it provides a start-to-finish “cold supply chain solution', the company said. This includes handling clearance processes and documentations required to enable the Biocare boxes to move swiftly through customs, so that both temperature and delivery time can be guaranteed. Biocare was launched as a pilot service in Middle East before it is introduced to Asia and Africa. The service will be rolled out to more markets over the next 12 months. “Aramex identified a need in the market, as the healthcare industry wanted an end-to-end solution for moving clinical specimens and medical samples to different destinations,” said Sami Hammoudeh, Global Director of Customer Relationship Management at Aramex. “We developed the Biocare solution after interviewing customers and understanding their exact needs. To give you an example, we learned that without an end-to-end solution to maintain temperatures, clinical specimens and medical samples were getting damaged,” he added. “A blood sample that is transported incorrectly can cause haemolysis, i.e., breaking of red blood cells, which in turn lead to additional costs for extracting the blood sample and shipping it again. “A major benefit for the healthcare industry is the added value that Biocare brings - it is not only a very cost effective solution but also a specialized service designed with our customer in mind.” Biocare caters for both infectious and non-infectious samples and using a Biocare solution to move these will provide shippers with a durable transportation. It said the Biocare solution is packed in accordance with the regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATAI) and will be delivered within 72 hours or less, depending on the destination required. The Biocare solution enables samples to be delivered across continents within the three-day timeline, rather than just within Middle East, the company said. “This is Aramex's first foray into cold chain solutions on an international scale. Previously, we offered these services on a local level in a much more limited capacity,” Hammoudeh said. “The launch of Biocare is very timely in light of projection for the health market globally; in the GCC alone it is expected to reach $43.9 billion by 2015, alongside projections for the Middle East's population to reach 520 million by 2030, both of which will create increased demand for services like Biocare.” — SG
