DHL expands Medical Express service logistics network
The company adds faster transport options for clinical samples from South America and Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland.
DHL Express announced the expansion of its next-day Medical Express (WMX) service, linking South America and Puerto Rico to the United States through a logistics network designed for the pharmaceutical and clinical research sectors.
The service enables the transport of critical medical shipments, including laboratory samples and clinical trial materials, from Puerto Rico to central U.S. labs in less than 30 hours from the time of patient draw.
This timeline supports flow cytometry, or the measurement of the properties of cells, and other time-sensitive assays used in medical research and patient testing.
“Given the complexities of export processes, tax payments, and regulatory approvals, our integrated system allows DHL to initiate export approvals before samples arrive at our facilities,” said Brian Bralynski, senior director of Life Sciences and Healthcare for DHL Express Americas.
The company said that with the recent enhancement, DHL’s dedicated Life Sciences customer service teams, temperature-controlled packaging and online Express Logistics Platform (ELP) provide support for research institutions and health care organizations across Puerto Rico.
The network expansion comes as clinical trials in Latin America, including Puerto Rico, continue to increase, according to the company.
DHL also said its investment will result in more consistent connections to the United States, addressing delays caused by limited commercial flight schedules since the pandemic. A DHL-operated flight from Miami to its Cincinnati hub now allows more than 65% of ambient patient samples to reach U.S. labs a day sooner.
Through its transportation network, DHL provides multiple temperature options and proactive shipment monitoring for qualified customers, the company stated.
