The COVID-19 pandemic is retightening its grip in many parts of the world as case numbers rise again and the long-dreaded second wave takes shape. That has in turn thrust global pharmaceutical distribution into the spotlight, and it seems clear that the typical in-transit spoilage rate of pharmaceuticals – as much as 12 per cent – can no longer be accepted when the stakes are as high as they are now. Nico Ros at SkyCell and Prith Banerjee at Ansys explain why the use of innovative technologies holds the key to minimising spoilage rates and saving lives.