DHL and American Airlines Cargo Release Special Report About the Importance of Logistics for the Future of Personalized Medicine

MIAMI, July 9, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, and American Airlines Cargo have released a joint report on the logistical challenges and opportunities posed by personalized medicine, also known as targeted or precision medicine. Titled "Patients, Processes and Partnerships: The Path to Personalized Medicine in Latin America", the report provides a detailed look at the future of medical logistics in the Latin American region and four key solutions to support the development of personalization.

Personalized medicine can be considered an extension of traditional approaches to treating disease. Physicians are able to pinpoint a patient's molecular profile and suggest the right therapy. Factors such as gender, weight, and DNA are all considered to tailor treatments according to each person's needs. However, this makes it impractical to ship large pallets to set locations.

"With personalized medicine, companies will need to deliver solutions directly to people rather than to institutions, which will change how we view—and transport—medical treatments," said Patricia Cole, Managing Director, Same Day & LifeConEx, DHL Global Forwarding. "This shift will present a huge challenge to the already complex logistics involved in delivering pharmaceutical solutions, many of which have very strict—and varied—temperature and timing requirements to remain effective. We believe the success of personalized medicine will rely on how well the logistics industry responds to the operational issues involved."

To add to the complexities, healthcare in Latin America is as diverse as its people and geographic terrain. There are no regional standards for medical shipments, so each logistics provider must work to meet each country's regulations, such as sterilization labeling, transportation modes in varied terrains, accessibility to well-equipped facilities and qualified doctors. Economic and political stability also play important roles in how healthcare is delivered within countries. Even when countries offer top-notch healthcare systems, not all residents have equal access to the same resources: hospitals, medical personnel, technology, or even simple Internet access.

To help advance the potential of personalized medicine, the report found several crucial solutions including:

1.    Data Analytics for Cold Chain Intelligence. These include artificial intelligence, self-learning systems, data mining and pattern recognition solutions that can learn from a constant stream of information.
2.    Innovations in Technology. Many carriers are already investing to build a connected fleet. Those that are more forward-looking are also looking to experiment with semi-autonomous and electric vehicles, or with sharing platforms. Other examples include integrating pilot use cases for drones that will enable further exploration of emergency logistics response tactics, particularly for last mile considerations in precision medicine distribution.
3.    Treatment Based Logistics & Distribution Programs. Integration of patient and shipment coordination for specific disease treatments, allowing health providers and logistics providers to collaborate to deliver a patient-centric experience.
4.    Increased Collaboration Between Forwarders and Carriers. Between them, forwarders and airline carriers can deliver end-to-end logistics, and deeper collaboration will help them overcome the challenges in personalized medicine logistics.

"As an industry, we must invest in new technology and next-gen solutions, including intelligent IT networks, big data analytics and AI, but also in our people and processes to ensure we can deliver what our customers need more effectively, efficiently and precisely," said Roger Samways, Vice President, Sales, American Airlines Cargo. "By working hand in hand with medical professionals, corporations and governments, logistics and supply chain professionals can begin to solve the personalized medicine puzzle that is coming."

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You can find the press release for download as well as further information on http://www.dpdhl.com/pressreleases

Media Contact:

Deutsche Post DHL Group
Media Relations
Verena Gross
Phone: +646-204-6535
E-mail: verena.gross(at)dhl.com
Follow us at: twitter.com/DHLAmericas

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".
DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 61 billion euros in 2018.

American Airlines Cargo Media Contact
Sam Morton
American Airlines Cargo
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
+1 972-916-3713
samuel.morton(at)aa.com

About American Airlines Cargo

American Airlines Group is the holding company for American Airlines. American provides one of the largest cargo networks in the world with cargo terminals and interline connections across the globe. Every day, American transports cargo between major cities in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

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SOURCE DHL