Cold Chain is the term used to refer to a temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is composed of an uninterrupted series of storage and distribution activities which maintain a given temperature range. Cold chains are common in, for example, the food and pharmaceutical industries. A common temperature range for a cold chain in such industries is 2 to 8 °C.

This is particularly important in the supply of vaccines to distant clinics in hot countries with poorly-developed transport networks. Disruption of a cold chain due to war may produce consequences similar to the Smallpox outbreaks in the Philipines during the Spanish-American war.

Supply chain management

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