This guide gives the summer and winter pack-outs for our three GLP-1 kits, how to condition gel packs, and the habits that protect every shipment. It is a starting point, not a validated procedure.
Before you start: read this
How long a package stays at 2–8 °C depends on the route, the season, the carrier and how it was packed. We don't publish hold times until we have test reports to back them. Your results will vary with your own lanes. Pharmacies and anyone shipping medicine should validate each pack-out for their own shipments, in summer and in winter, before relying on it.
The one rule for 2–8 °C shipments
Heat is not the only risk. Freezing can damage many refrigerated products too. Never let a hard-frozen gel pack or rod touch the product directly. Keep a barrier between them: the capsule wall, a sheet of cardboard or a layer of bubble wrap.
Conditioning gel packs
- Lay packs flat in a single layer in the freezer or refrigerator. Stacked packs cool unevenly.
- Freeze until solid all the way through. Press the centre of the pack: no soft spot.
- For summer 2–8 °C pack-outs, condition frozen packs. Leave them at room temperature until the surface is wet and the pack flexes slightly. A conditioned pack is less likely to freeze the product.
- For winter pack-outs, use refrigerated packs. Store them in a refrigerator at 2–8 °C, not the freezer.
- Keep it the same every day. Same freezer, same layout, same conditioning time. Write your conditioning time on the packing card so every packer follows it.
Ice rods for the Vial Capsule follow the same rule: conditioned frozen rods in summer, refrigerated rods in winter.
Small kit (1–2 vials or pens)
Small kit: Vial Capsule Small, 1 ice rod, 2–8 °C indicator, packing card, 7 × 10 in foil mailer.
| Step | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Ice rod | Frozen, then conditioned until the surface is wet | Refrigerated (2–8 °C), not frozen |
| Inside the capsule | Vials or pens, rod alongside | Vials or pens, rod alongside |
| Indicator | Inside the mailer, next to the capsule | Same |
| Mailer | Capsule and packing card inside; press out air; seal | Same |
Medium kit (up to 4 vials or pens)
Medium kit: Vial Capsule Standard, 2 ice rods, 2–8 °C indicator, packing card, 9 × 12 in foil mailer.
| Step | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Ice rods | Both frozen, then conditioned until the surface is wet | Both refrigerated (2–8 °C), not frozen |
| Inside the capsule | Vials or pens in the centre, one rod on each side | Same layout |
| Indicator | Inside the mailer, next to the capsule | Same |
| Mailer | Capsule and packing card inside; press out air; seal | Same |
Large kit (up to 12 vials or pens)
Large kit: 6 × 6 × 6 in foam shipper with carton, 4 × 6 oz gel packs, 2–8 °C indicator, packing card.
| Step | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Gel packs | All 4 frozen, then conditioned until the surface is wet | All 4 refrigerated (2–8 °C), not frozen |
| Layout | 2 packs on the bottom, barrier, product, barrier, 2 packs on top | Same layout |
| Product | Cartons grouped together in the centre, bagged if possible | Same |
| Void space | Fill gaps so nothing shifts | Same |
| Indicator and card | Indicator on top of the upper barrier; card on top of the lid, inside the carton | Same |
Good practice for every shipment
- Ship early in the week. Monday to Wednesday keeps packages out of carrier hubs over the weekend.
- Check the weather at both ends. Heat waves and cold snaps change what you need.
- Store packaging at room temperature. A foam shipper kept in a hot garage starts the trip warm.
- Pack fast. Take product from the refrigerator last and seal the package right away.
- Fill the space. Air gaps warm up fastest. Choose the smallest shipper that fits.
- Use an indicator. It tells the recipient whether the package got too warm or too cold.
- Tell the recipient. Ask them to refrigerate the product as soon as it arrives.
- Keep a log. Note the pack date, pack-out used and any complaints. Patterns show up fast.
Next steps
Not sure which shipper fits your payload? Read how to choose a shipper. Want to test before you buy? Request free samples. Need refills? See gel packs and ice rods.