FLF-Pharma
Pharmaceutical transport to GDP requirements: FLF-Pharma
FLF-Pharma moves medicines, vaccines and trial samples at a controlled temperature from wholesaler to pharmacy, hospital or front door. Emergency runs leave around the clock, and every delivery comes with a temperature record.
Our pharmaceutical transport service is built for pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, wellbeing services counties and clinical trial units that need a transport partner able to work to Good Distribution Practice (GDP). Our drivers are GDP-trained, the vehicles carry temperature monitoring, and every consignment travels in a sealed transport box. The service covers scheduled distribution from wholesaler to pharmacies, transfers between pharmacies, deliveries from pharmacy to the patient's door, and emergency runs where a consignment has to arrive in minutes rather than hours.
We operate from Malmi in Helsinki and from Lahti across Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme and Päijät-Häme. For emergency transport, pickup takes on average under 30 minutes in southern Finland, and the on-call number 040 215 7529 answers 24 hours a day. Temperature ranges cover the cold chain at +2 to +8 °C, room temperature at +15 to +25 °C and frozen consignments down to −22 °C. During the journey temperature and location are visible in real time, and the condition data is handed to the customer afterwards so the recipient can verify the chain before the medicine is released for use.
The emergency transport price is public: €1.32 per km + €0.99 per minute + €10 call-out fee (excl. VAT). Scheduled distribution, cold-chain transport and courier work are priced by contract according to routes, frequency and temperature requirements, and invoiced as one monthly statement. At the start of a contract we go through what your quality system requires of transport: temperature limits, loggers, deviation handling and documentation. That way the transport fits into your own GDP quality system without renegotiating on every run.
< 30 min
emergency pickup
+2 to +8 °C
cold chain
−22 °C
frozen, down to
24/7
on call 040 215 7529
Who pharmaceutical transport is for
The same vehicles and the same trained staff serve the whole distribution chain, from the wholesaler's warehouse to the patient's front door.
Pharmaceutical wholesalers
Scheduled distribution from the warehouse to pharmacies and hospitals. We work to the wholesaler's GDP quality system and can be audited as a transport partner.
Pharmacies
Transfers between pharmacies, urgent top-ups and deliveries to the customer's door. Sealed box and signature on receipt.
Hospital pharmacies
Deliveries of medicines and vaccines to wards and local health centres, plus urgent consignments between hospitals.
Wellbeing services counties
Agreed distribution rounds to health centres, care units and home-care bases. Fixed contract price and a named contact person.
Clinical trials
Investigational products and samples between trial site and laboratory, with the temperature records that monitoring requires.
Veterinary practices
Vaccines and refrigerated products for veterinary clinics and large-animal practices. The same cold chain as for human medicines.
GDP in practice: what compliant transport means
GDP, Good Distribution Practice, is the EU guideline that defines how a medicine's quality is preserved along the distribution chain from manufacturer to pharmacy. In Finland, pharmaceutical wholesaling is supervised by Fimea, and the holder of the wholesale licence is responsible for ensuring that outsourced transport also meets GDP. For a transport company this means a written agreement, agreed operating procedures and the wholesaler's right to audit the transport. FLF works as an auditable transport partner under its customers' quality systems. We do not call ourselves certified, because there is no separate GDP certificate for a transport company: compliance is demonstrated through day-to-day practice, training records and documentation.
In practice the requirements show in every run. The driver is trained to recognise a temperature deviation, to act on it according to the procedure, and to keep the pharmaceutical consignment separate from other goods. A temperature logger travels with the consignment and records the whole journey. Transport boxes are sealed at the sender and the seal is checked on receipt. Every deviation, whether a temperature excursion, a delay or damaged packaging, is reported to the customer in writing within the agreed time so the wholesaler's quality assurance can decide whether the consignment can be used.
In your request for quotation it helps to state the temperature limits by product group, the logger type required (single-use or returnable), the sign-off procedure at the recipient, and whether your quality system requires driver-level training records. Based on these we draw up a written transport procedure that is attached to the contract and against which our work can be audited.
Temperature ranges
The range is chosen from the product's storage instructions, and the box, coolant and logger are sized to the length of the route.
+2 to +8 °C cold chain
Insulins, vaccines, biological medicines and other refrigerated products. The transport box is pre-cooled and the logger alerts if limits are exceeded.
+15 to +25 °C room temperature
Most tablets and liquid preparations. In winter keeping within the limits matters as much as in summer: a medicine that has frozen cannot be used.
Frozen, down to −22 °C
Frozen products and samples in boxes with cold packs or dry ice. The amount of coolant is sized to the duration of the route.
Emergency transport 24/7
Emergency transport is for situations where a medicine is needed by a patient or a ward sooner than the next scheduled round can bring it. The on-call number 040 215 7529 answers around the clock, every day of the year. Pickup in southern Finland takes on average under 30 minutes, and the driver goes directly from sender to recipient with no intermediate stops and no other loads on board.
The price is based on distance and time: €1.32 per km + €0.99 per minute + €10 call-out fee (excl. VAT). For contract customers, emergency runs are added to the same monthly invoice as scheduled distribution. When ordering, state the temperature requirement, the size of the consignment and the recipient's sign-off procedure, so the driver sets off with the right box and logger.
Vehicles and monitoring
- Temperature-controlled vehicles from van to lorry, load space pre-cooled or pre-heated before loading
- GPS tracking in every vehicle: the consignment's location is visible in real time
- Temperature loggers per consignment or per box, with alerts to the driver and dispatch if limits are exceeded
- Condition data (temperature curve, times, locations) delivered to the customer after the run
- Sealable transport boxes and cold packs for each temperature range
- Drivers are our own employees, and stand-in drivers have the same GDP training
How a pharmaceutical delivery works
- 01
Order
Contract customers order through their agreed channel; emergency runs are ordered from the on-call number. State the temperature range, consignment size and recipient.
- 02
Pickup
The driver checks the packaging, seals the box and starts the logger. The sender signs the handover.
- 03
Transport
The consignment travels without intermediaries at the agreed temperature. Location and temperature are visible in tracking throughout.
- 04
Handover and report
The recipient checks the seal and signs. Temperature data and any deviations are delivered to the customer.
Pricing
The emergency transport price is fixed and public: €1.32 per km + €0.99 per minute + €10 call-out fee (excl. VAT). Other pharmaceutical transport is priced by contract according to routes, number of rounds, temperature requirements and logger practice. Invoicing is consolidated monthly.
Emergency transport
€1.32/km + €0.99/min + €10 call-out fee (excl. VAT). Ordered from the on-call number 24/7.
Scheduled distribution
Recurring rounds from wholesaler to pharmacies or units at a fixed route or monthly price.
Cold-chain and courier
One-off temperature-controlled runs by agreement, invoiced as one monthly statement.
Request a quote for pharmaceutical transport
Tell us your routes, frequency, temperature ranges and what your quality system requires of transport. You will usually have a quote the same working day, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What does GDP mean in transport?
GDP (Good Distribution Practice) in transport means that the medicine's temperature, integrity and traceability are maintained for the whole journey. In practice it requires trained drivers, temperature recording, sealed packaging, written operating procedures and deviation reporting. The transport company works to the wholesaler's quality system and can be audited by the wholesaler.
What is the transport temperature for medicines?
The transport temperature is the same as the product's storage temperature. The most common ranges are +2 to +8 °C for refrigerated products such as vaccines and insulins, +15 to +25 °C for medicines stored at room temperature, and frozen down to −22 °C. In winter, room-temperature medicines must also be protected from freezing, so the load space is heated before loading.
Does a transport company need a Fimea licence?
The pharmaceutical wholesale licence is held by the wholesaler, not the transport company. The licence holder is responsible for ensuring that outsourced transport meets GDP, and this is agreed in a written contract. FLF works as an auditable transport partner under the wholesaler's GDP quality system and contract: drivers are trained, procedures are documented and the wholesaler can inspect our operation.
How is the temperature documented?
A temperature logger travels with the consignment and records readings at agreed intervals for the whole journey. After the run we deliver the condition data, meaning the temperature curve, times and locations, to the customer. If a limit is exceeded, the driver receives an alert and the deviation is reported in writing so quality assurance can decide on the consignment's use.
Can I order transport at night?
Yes. The pharmaceutical on-call line 040 215 7529 answers around the clock, including weekends and public holidays. For emergency transport, pickup in southern Finland takes on average under 30 minutes from the order. State the temperature requirement and the recipient's contact details when ordering so the handover also works at night.
How much does emergency transport cost?
Emergency transport costs €1.32 per km + €0.99 per minute + €10 call-out fee (excl. VAT). The price is calculated from pickup to handover, and for contract customers it is added to the monthly invoice. Scheduled distribution, cold-chain transport and courier work are priced by agreement, and you will usually have a quote the same working day.
Do you also deliver from pharmacy to home?
Yes. We deliver medicines from the pharmacy to the customer's front door at the agreed temperature and in a sealed box. The service suits pharmacies that offer home delivery as well as home-care services of the wellbeing services counties. The recipient signs for the handover and the pharmacy receives a delivery confirmation.
Ask about pharmaceutical transport
Tell us your temperature requirements, routes and rounds, and we will prepare a quote and a transport procedure for your quality system. Emergency line: 040 215 7529.