Oman Air gets IATA CEIV Pharma certification, maintaining integrity of vital medications

Confirming the airline’s capabilities for safeguarding the integrity of time and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products from point of origin to destination, Oman Air has been certified IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators for Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma). In successfully obtaining the industry-wide standard, the airline now aims to grow its participation as an important carrier for the global bio-pharma industry. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, CEO, Oman Air, comments, “The certification underpins our capabilities as a global cargo carrier for the quality handling of time and temperature-sensitive healthcare products. This is especially significant during the current COVID crisis, a time when the integrity of vital medications, including vaccines, relies entirely on safe and dependable cold chain expertise both in the air and on the ground. To do so, our customers can benefit from our state-of-the-art facilities at the Muscat International Air Cargo Hub.”
Driven by the global biopharma industry, IATA’s CEIV Pharma program encompasses and, often times, supersedes many of the existing standards and guidelines including European Good Distribution Practice, World Health Organization (Annex 5) and United States Pharmacopeia Standards. Obtaining certification demands a high level of commitment from airlines along with exacting standards for pharmaceuticals handling. Oman Air successfully completed a thorough analysis of its business processes and product quality environments, and underwent rigorous evaluation of its pharmaceutical quality management systems, process standards and document review, risk assessments and several internal audits.