Insights from R Courier.

A guide to when international air transport rules apply to medical shipments, and how to stay compliant from packaging through delivery.

  Key Takeaways Vaccines require an unbroken cold chain from manufacturer to patient, with most routine vaccines maintained between 2°C and 8°C and some mRNA formulations requiring ultra-low temperatures of minus 70°C or colder Temperature excursions cannot be reversed or tested after the fact — if the cold chain breaks, the product must be treated

  Not every courier company is equipped to move medical cargo. A general logistics provider can deliver a package on time and still fail completely when that package contains a blood specimen, a controlled substance, or temperature-sensitive medication that determines a patient’s treatment plan. Compliance is what separates a medical courier company from a general

Published: April 2026 | By the R Courier Team When most people think of a medical courier, they picture lab specimens moving between clinics and diagnostic centres. That image is accurate — but it is only part of the story. Across Canada, businesses in industries far beyond healthcare are discovering that a specialized, reliable courier

Speed dominates courier conversations. Same-day delivery. Rush service. Immediate pickup. Faster than fast. But for businesses operating across Canada, speed alone rarely solves the real problem. Coverage does. A courier can be fast in one city and still fail the moment a shipment crosses provincial lines. In regulated industries like healthcare, legal services, and government-adjacent