The Cold Chain Chronicles : Are You Thinking Outside the Box?

The Cold Chain Chronicles (PDA/DHI Publishing)
By Kevin O’Donnell
Review by Andrea Charles, Cold Chain IQ www.coldchainiq.com

The Cold Chain Chronicles by noted industry thought leader Kevin O’Donnell enables the reader to think outside the box about the importance of cold chain and how it relates to everyday life, especially when things go wrong. In this unique compilation of stories based around previously published columns and blogs, Kevin O’ Donnell successfully achieves his aim to increase awareness and understanding of temperature-sensitive drug stewardship in the industry and beyond.

The majority of books available today about the cold chain are highly technical and based on best practice or guidelines. Whilst they do not intend to alienate the average person from learning more about this important subject, they do not seek to actively engage them either. In the Cold Chain Chronicles O’Donnell applies an unconventional storytelling approach to this topic and makes a highly technical subject accessible to all.

By personalising his sometimes unpredictable stories, where the cold chain is not always the main subject of the story, O’Donnell masterfully guides the reader through the complexity of the global temperature-controlled supply chain. Stopping to share interesting cold chain scenarios from the least expected places and revealing the natural wonders of temperature-controlled storage and distribution occurring all around us.

The Cold Chain Chronicles is filled with interesting parallels and passion. For example, do you know what Swiss watchmaking and insulated transport packaging have in common? Or what we can learn about packaging from how bees regulate temperature within their hives? O’Donnell explains as he is an avid bee-keeper.

O’ Donnell has fun with his storytelling and draws on wide range of research. From past to present, he artfully moves from tales of four thousand year old Egyptian technologies to cold chain’s modern day last mile heroes. There really is a chapter that will pique everyone’s interest. What I did not expect from this book, was the level of emotion it evokes. As these true life stories teach us, ignorance, simple mistakes and miscommunications can profoundly impact patient lives and health, and that we are still more aware of when the quality of a pint of milk has been compromised, than a shipment to life-saving vaccine.

By adding a narrative O Donnell, brings the cold chain to life. He reminds us that we all receive cold chain products at some point. I myself am guilty of storing temperature-sensitive medicines on the kitchen table or cupboard, never again.

Cold Chain Chronicles is available on-line by ordering from the PDA bookstore.