Patient treatment cannot be interrupted in the midst of natural disasters: Partnering with the client for operational success

Due to the flooding, main roads were blocked, airports had restricted operations, and traditional routes were simply unavailable. Even so, patients needed to receive their medications within pre-defined protocol windows—any delay could mean:

• Direct impact on patient health.
• Discontinuation of treatment or need to deviate from protocol.
• Potential invalidation of clinical data, of extremely high value to CROs and the industry.

The FAXE group sought to create a customized emergency plan in conjunction with local agents, structuring a dedicated operation departing from Guarulhos airport towards the South, right at the beginning of the crisis:

• Planning an alternative route with twice the standard time and a significant increase in mileage, prioritizing safety, real accessibility, and support points for temperature control.
• Real-time risk analysis, with monitoring of road, bridge and urban access conditions.
• Coordination team on call, in constant contact with the website, the CRO (Regional Operations Center) and the driver, updating ETA (Emergency Travel Authorization) and contingencies.
• Integration of the Customs Clearance team with the National Logistics team to enable prioritization, given that the route would be by road over a much longer distance.
• Defining plans B and C in case of sudden road closures, with previously validated alternative routes.

• The first carrier to successfully make a delivery from Guarulhos southward after the start of the flooding, arriving within the clinical window required by protocol.
• Deliveries without temperature deviations or changes that would affect the study.
• Delivery locations were able to maintain their visit schedule without cancellations due to lack of delivery.
• The patient, at the center of the operation, received uninterrupted treatment, even in a scenario of public calamity.