Shipping biological samples, or FedEx: The World on OUR Time, thank you very much.

December 10, 2010 9:54 AM

Two part question on rapid shipping of biological materials from Australia to the US via FedEx. 1) Getting it through customs, and 2) dealing with a delay resulting from a mistake by FedEx.

My friend with breast cancer who I asked about earlier has developed fast-growing metastatic tumors. I have arranged to have tumor samples assayed for chemo susceptibilities at MD Anderson. The wrinkle is that she's in Canberra, Australia, and due to her oncologist's holiday plans and the time the susceptibility assay takes, we need to get the samples to Texas as quickly as possible to use it to make a rational choice of chemo agent. (Her oncologist is a bit reticent and tardy about the whole thing. We are looking into switching oncologists to someone more invested in her survival, rather than just providing palliative care.)

The first thing which came up is that the Declaration of Biological Shipments asks for a permit and registration number for the recipient. I wasn't able to contact the pathology lab while we were putting the package together, so I just put "please check the online information for the package or call [the number for the pathology lab]". I've since been in touch with the lab, and they say they've never heard of the need for a registration or permit number for this kind of shipment. I assume these numbers are required for more hazardous biological shipments? If I leave the entries on the form as-is is that going to slow the progress of the package through customs, or is it worth trying to submit a new form while the package is in transit, with these entries blank or marked as N/A?

The second thing is that while she dropped the package off at the Canberra FedEx office around 3:30 p.m. Friday Canberra time, the FedEx system claims that it did not enter the system until after the deadline for pick-up (5 p.m.) This has resulted in a two-day slip in the schedule for the package's arrival, which is disastrous. With Christmas coming up, it might not be weeks until she gets a chemo agent prescribed on the basis of this assay. The FedEx system says that the package is sitting in a container in the Canberra FedEx office, which is closed all weekend. I have been talking to FedEx about this, and they have assigned me a "Customer advocate," whatever that means. In principle, someone could open up the office and get the package out, and then we could get it on a flight from Sydney to the US. I know this plan is outrageous, but do I have any leverage to make that happen, given that it is FedEx's mistake it's a life-and-death situation?

posted by Estragon to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)

I work with shipping and international on a regular basis. Mainly with UPS, not Fedex, but it all sounds fairly similar.

It's hard to say whether the issues on the Dec. of Bio. shipments form will be an issue. Frankly, if you encounter a field in an international shipping form you don't understand, you should figure it out before proceeding. Unfortunately, recipients of shipments are often unaware of international forms issues. They may not deal with international packages every day, either. The expert on this will be Fedex, who should know the answer. The good news is it MAY be possible to update the info while enroute; you'd have to ask Fedex.

Which it sounds like you're going to have to be talking to anyway. I know that any delay seems maddening, but in my experience a) dropping off a package at 3:30 in a shipping company's office doesn't guarantee that it gets logged in immediately (I don't know, and you may not either, whether the package was placed in someone's hands or scanned in, or dropped in a box) and b) trying to get something like what you're asking done over the weekend in one of these offices is just not on. They're not being paid to be a medical courier, a la "get the donated organ to the hospital while the patient is being prepped for surgery." They're a freight company.

You can certainly talk to a "fedex customer advocate," but I wouldn't place too many hopes on trying to expedite the package. I would focus on:

a) making sure the documentation is adequate so it doesn't get delayed further.
b) trying to get the recipient to expedite their handling/testing of the specimen.
posted by randomkeystrike at 10:19 AM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]

I work for FedEx's main competitor, and I think at this point your best bet is to focus on getting the absolute fastest service starting on Monday. If the office is closed, then it's closed, and your chances of getting someone to go out there are slim. However, once the office opens on Monday, you need that package to move as quickly as they can move it, and if that's an upgrade from the service you paid for, then they need to make that upgrade for free.

If they give you any pushback on the above--and they shouldn't, because we sure wouldn't where I work--then keep going up the chain. Stay calm and polite--yes, it's their mistake, but you will get much better service by being polite but firm. Use words like "urgent," "time sensitive," and "perishable" (I'm assuming on that last one). You may also say that you want to make a corporate complaint--that's our wording, but Fedex should have something similar.

There is no reason that the parcel cannot be in Texas by next Friday at the latest. And, quite frankly, they should reimburse you the full cost of shipping as well--but that's something that you may want to fight for after the package gets to its destination.
posted by catwoman429 at 10:53 AM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]

As someone who occasionally deals with international medical shipments, I would strongly suggest working carefully with Fed Ex to find out what US Customs office will be receiving the shipment, and who the appropriate people to talk to at that office are. We have had numerous shipments of medications delayed because Customs did not adequately understand exactly what the shipments contained or what their intended use was, even though all the forms had been filled out in exactly the same manner as all of our previous forms (for shipping the exact same product). Good luck.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:15 AM on December 10, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. I called back to find out the Customs office it'll go through and follow Rock's advice, and they said they don't know yet, because the shipping itinerary over the weekend is uncertain. So maybe they are going to find a solution. They said to call back in four or five hours.
posted by Estragon at 12:37 PM on December 10, 2010

I find when shipping similar specimens in and out of Australia that a "letter of declaration" is helpful. None of my shippers (UPS/FedEx) ever suggest that you need one, but I find if you write a letter directly to customs and declare what exactly is in the package, what carrier you are using, where it is going, and state that it's not hazardous (or if it is, that you are transporting it appropriately), it gets through customs a lot easier. Like Rock Steady stated, customs usually doesn't understand what these kinds of specimens are or what their intent is, so if you can sort of explain it clearly in a letter, things seem to go smoother. Make sure you sign the letter and give your contact info.

I have emailed this letter to a "Customer Advocate" before and they were able to intercept the package or send this directly to customs for me. If you'd like to see an example letter, please mefi mail me. Best of luck.
posted by ohohcyte at 1:53 PM on December 10, 2010

I don't know if this will apply in your situation because of the "biological samples" part of the equation, but I know UPS has the "Express Critical" shipping method. A good friend of mine ships jewels all over the world, and they have to go through customs, but it never takes longer than UPS quotes (usually 2-3 days). It might be worth calling them up and talking about it.
posted by Mimzy at 4:35 PM on December 10, 2010

Response by poster: Well, the package arrived in Houston this morning. I think FedEx did the best job they possibly could have in the circumstances. It appears that the agent I initially talked to on the phone was completely incorrect about the package being stuck in Canberra all weekend. The tracking information updated later on Friday to say the package was on its way to Sydney. It flew out of Sydney on Saturday.

I called the FedEx hub at the Customs facility where the package was processed on its arrival in the US, and an agent there very kindly agreed to personally see to it that it went through without delay, which it did.

Thanks for your advice and help, everyone.
posted by Estragon at 12:05 PM on December 14, 2010