At Health Haul, we're committed to providing safe, compliant, and professional medical courier services. For safety, legal, and regulatory reasons, there are certain items we cannot transport. This page outlines what we don't transport across all our service categories.

Pharmaceuticals

Controlled Substances Without Proper Authorization

What we don't transport:
- Schedule II narcotics (oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, etc.) without DEA authorization
- Schedule III-V controlled substances without proper documentation
- Any controlled substance without pharmacy-provided chain of custody documentation

Why:
- Federal DEA regulations require specific licensing and documentation
- High risk of theft, diversion, and legal liability
- Health Haul does not currently hold DEA courier authorization

Alternative:
- We can transport controlled substances when accompanied by pharmacy-provided chain of custody forms and proper documentation
- For high-value controlled substance deliveries, consider specialized DEA-authorized couriers

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Investigational or Experimental Drugs

What we don't transport:
- Clinical trial medications
- Investigational New Drugs (INDs)
- Experimental therapies not FDA-approved

Why:
- Require specialized handling protocols
- Often require temperature monitoring beyond our current capabilities
- Liability and insurance limitations

Alternative:
- Clinical trial sponsors typically have dedicated courier services
- Contact your research coordinator for approved transport options

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Compounded Sterile Preparations (CSPs) Requiring Ultra-Cold Storage

What we don't transport:
- Medications requiring storage below -20°C (-4°F)
- Ultra-cold chain products (e.g., certain biologics, gene therapies)
- Frozen medications requiring dry ice or liquid nitrogen

Why:
- Our cold chain equipment maintains 2-8°C (36-46°F), not ultra-cold temperatures
- Dry ice and liquid nitrogen require specialized vehicles and DOT hazmat certification beyond our current scope

Alternative:
- Specialized biologic couriers with ultra-cold capabilities
- Pharmacy may have dedicated ultra-cold transport

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Bulk Pharmaceutical Shipments

What we don't transport:
- Wholesale pharmaceutical shipments (> 50 lbs)
- Pharmacy-to-pharmacy bulk transfers
- Manufacturer-to-pharmacy shipments

Why:
- Health Haul specializes in patient-specific, individual prescription deliveries
- Bulk shipments require different insurance, licensing, and logistics

Alternative:
- Wholesale pharmaceutical distributors (McKesson, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen)
- Freight carriers with pharmaceutical specialization

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Expired, Damaged, or Improperly Labeled Medications

What we don't transport:
- Medications past expiration date
- Damaged packaging or broken seals
- Medications without proper pharmacy labels
- Medications in non-original containers

Why:
- Patient safety concerns
- Regulatory compliance
- Liability exposure

Alternative:
- Return expired/damaged medications to pharmacy for proper disposal
- Pharmacy should repackage and relabel before transport

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Over-the-Counter (OTC) Products (Non-Medical Courier Service)

What we don't transport:
- OTC medications, vitamins, supplements purchased outside pharmacy context
- Personal shopping or errand services
- Non-medical retail items

Why:
- Health Haul is a medical courier service, not a general delivery or errand service
- Our insurance and licensing cover medical transport only

Alternative:
- General delivery services (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart)
- Pharmacy OTC items included with prescription deliveries are acceptable

Chemotherapy

Investigational Chemotherapy Agents

What we don't transport:
- Clinical trial chemotherapy drugs
- Experimental cancer therapies
- INDs (Investigational New Drugs)

Why:
- Require specialized protocols beyond standard chemotherapy handling
- Clinical trial sponsors typically have dedicated courier services
- Liability and insurance limitations

Alternative:
- Contact clinical trial sponsor or research coordinator
- They typically arrange specialized transport

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Chemotherapy Waste or Contaminated Materials

What we don't transport:
- Used chemotherapy vials, syringes, or IV bags
- Chemotherapy-contaminated linens, gowns, or supplies
- Chemotherapy spill cleanup materials

Why:
- Requires medical waste transport license
- Different regulatory requirements (EPA, OSHA, state health department)
- Health Haul transports unused chemotherapy only

Alternative:
- Medical waste disposal companies (Stericycle, Daniels Health)
- Facility's regular medical waste pickup service

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Bulk Chemotherapy Shipments

What we don't transport:
- Wholesale chemotherapy shipments
- Pharmacy-to-pharmacy bulk transfers
- Manufacturer-to-pharmacy shipments

Why:
- Health Haul specializes in patient-specific, individual dose deliveries
- Bulk shipments require different licensing and logistics

Alternative:
- Wholesale pharmaceutical distributors with oncology specialization
- Specialty pharmacy distributors

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Expired, Damaged, or Improperly Packaged Chemotherapy

What we don't transport:
- Chemotherapy past expiration date
- Damaged or leaking containers
- Chemotherapy without proper hazardous materials packaging
- Chemotherapy without DOT-compliant labels

Why:
- Patient safety and regulatory compliance
- Contamination and exposure risks
- Liability concerns

Alternative:
- Return to pharmacy for proper disposal
- Pharmacy should repackage in DOT-compliant containers before transport

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Chemotherapy Requiring Ultra-Cold Storage

What we don't transport:
- Chemotherapy requiring storage below -20°C (-4°F)
- Frozen chemotherapy requiring dry ice or liquid nitrogen

Why:
- Our cold chain equipment maintains 2-8°C (36-46°F)
- Ultra-cold requires specialized equipment beyond current capabilities

Alternative:
- Specialized biologic couriers with ultra-cold capabilities

Nuclear

High-Activity Therapeutic Radioactive Materials

What we don't transport:
- I-131 (Iodine-131) therapeutic doses > 30 mCi (typically 100-200 mCi for thyroid cancer treatment)
- Y-90 (Yttrium-90) microspheres (50-150 mCi for liver cancer)
- Ra-223 (Radium-223) for bone metastases
- Lu-177 (Lutetium-177) (200 mCi for neuroendocrine tumors)
- Any radioactive material with Transport Index > 10 or surface radiation > 200 mrem/hr

Why:
- Exceed Health Haul's DOT hazmat training limits
- Require additional NRC/Ohio radioactive materials licensing
- Require Type B packaging (more stringent than Type A)
- Higher radiation exposure risks
- Increased liability and insurance requirements

What we CAN transport:
- I-131 diagnostic doses < 30 mCi (thyroid scans)
- Tc-99m, F-18 FDG, Tl-201, Ga-67, In-111, I-123 (all diagnostic doses)

Alternative:
- Specialized radioactive materials couriers with NRC licensing
- Hospital/oncology center may have dedicated transport

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Spent Nuclear Fuel or High-Level Radioactive Waste

What we don't transport:
- Spent nuclear fuel rods
- High-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants or weapons facilities
- Any radioactive material from nuclear reactors

Why:
- WAY beyond medical courier scope
- Requires NRC-certified Type B casks, armed escorts, special licensing
- Massive liability and regulatory requirements

Alternative:
- NRC-licensed radioactive waste transporters
- Department of Energy contractors

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Damaged, Leaking, or Improperly Packaged Radioactive Materials

What we don't transport:
- Broken or leaking radioactive containers
- Radioactive materials without proper Type A packaging
- Packages missing radioactive labels or shipping papers
- Packages with radiation levels exceeding labeled limits

Why:
- Contamination and exposure risks
- Regulatory violations
- Public safety hazard

Alternative:
- DO NOT TRANSPORT - notify shipper immediately
- If significant leak, contact Ohio Department of Health: (614) 644-2727

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Unsealed or Loose Radioactive Materials

What we don't transport:
- Radioactive liquids in open containers
- Radioactive powders without proper containment
- Any unsealed radioactive source

Why:
- Contamination risk
- Safety hazard
- Regulatory violation

Alternative:
- Shipper must properly package in DOT-compliant Type A containers before transport

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Radioactive Materials Without Proper Documentation

What we don't transport:
- Radioactive materials without shipping papers
- Packages without UN number, isotope, or activity listed
- Materials from unlicensed shippers

Why:
- DOT regulations require complete documentation
- Cannot verify safety and compliance without proper paperwork
- Legal liability

Alternative:
- Shipper must provide complete DOT shipping papers before transport

Lab Specimens

Category A Infectious Substances (High-Risk Pathogens)

What we don't transport:
- Category A infectious substances (known or suspected to contain pathogens capable of causing permanent disability or death)
- Examples: Ebola, Marburg, anthrax, smallpox, SARS, avian influenza H5N1
- Cultures of infectious agents (bacterial, viral, fungal cultures in growth media)

Why:
- Require UN2814/UN2900 packaging (more stringent than Category B)
- Require additional DOT training and certification
- Extreme biohazard risk
- Health Haul is certified for Category B only (diagnostic specimens)

What we CAN transport:
- Category B infectious substances (diagnostic specimens, patient samples)
- Blood, urine, tissue, swabs for routine diagnostic testing

Alternative:
- Specialized biohazard couriers with Category A certification
- CDC or state health department may provide transport for reportable diseases

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Forensic or Legal Evidence Specimens (Without Proper Chain of Custody)

What we don't transport:
- Specimens for criminal investigations
- Specimens for legal proceedings (paternity, toxicology for court cases)
- Any specimen requiring legal chain of custody documentation

Why:
- Require specialized chain of custody protocols
- Legal liability if chain of custody is broken
- Health Haul does not currently provide legal chain of custody services

Alternative:
- Law enforcement evidence transport
- Specialized forensic couriers
- Lab may have dedicated legal specimen transport

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Bulk Lab Specimen Shipments (> 100 specimens)

What we don't transport:
- Large batches of specimens (> 100 specimens per shipment)
- Wholesale lab-to-lab transfers
- Research specimen shipments requiring specialized logistics

Why:
- Health Haul specializes in small to medium specimen deliveries
- Bulk shipments require different logistics and pricing

Alternative:
- Lab courier services specializing in bulk transport
- Freight carriers with biohazard certification

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Specimens Requiring Ultra-Cold Storage (< -20°C)

What we don't transport:
- Specimens requiring storage below -20°C (-4°F)
- Specimens requiring dry ice or liquid nitrogen
- Frozen tissue samples for long-term storage

Why:
- Our cold chain equipment maintains 2-8°C (36-46°F)
- Ultra-cold requires specialized equipment beyond current capabilities

Alternative:
- Specialized biologic couriers with ultra-cold capabilities
- Lab may have dedicated ultra-cold transport

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Improperly Packaged or Labeled Specimens

What we don't transport:
- Specimens without proper biohazard labels
- Specimens in leaking or damaged containers
- Specimens without patient identification labels
- Specimens in non-approved containers

Why:
- Contamination and exposure risks
- OSHA and DOT regulations require proper packaging
- Patient safety and specimen integrity concerns

Alternative:
- Facility should repackage specimens in approved containers before transport
- Specimens must have proper labels (patient name, DOB, collection date/time, test ordered)

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Human Tissue for Transplantation

What we don't transport:
- Organs for transplantation (heart, liver, kidney, etc.)
- Tissue for transplantation (corneas, skin grafts, bone)
- Stem cells or bone marrow for transplantation

Why:
- Require specialized time-critical transport protocols
- Require organ procurement organization (OPO) coordination
- Extreme liability and regulatory requirements
- Health Haul does not have transplant transport certification

Alternative:
- Organ procurement organizations (OPOs) have dedicated transport
- Transplant centers coordinate specialized courier services

Dental

Hazardous Dental Materials

What we don't transport:
- Amalgam waste (mercury-containing)
- Lead foil from X-ray packets (in bulk)
- Disinfectant chemicals or sterilization solutions
- Dental anesthetics or controlled substances (without proper authorization)

Why:
- Require hazardous waste transport license
- Mercury and lead have specific EPA regulations
- Controlled substances require DEA authorization

Alternative:
- Hazardous waste disposal companies
- Dental supply companies often provide take-back programs

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Biohazardous Dental Waste

What we don't transport:
- Used dental instruments (contaminated with blood/saliva)
- Extracted teeth (unless properly disinfected and packaged)
- Blood-soaked gauze or cotton rolls
- Sharps waste (used needles, scalpels)

Why:
- Requires medical waste transport license
- Bloodborne pathogen exposure risks
- Different regulatory requirements

What we CAN transport:
- Clean, unused dental instruments
- Properly disinfected and packaged extracted teeth for educational purposes

Alternative:
- Medical waste disposal companies (Stericycle, Daniels Health)

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Bulk Dental Supply Shipments

What we don't transport:
- Wholesale dental supply shipments
- Large equipment (dental chairs, X-ray machines, compressors)
- Bulk material shipments (> 50 lbs)

Why:
- Health Haul specializes in small-item courier service (impressions, crowns, dentures, models)
- Large equipment requires freight carriers

Alternative:
- Dental supply distributors (Henry Schein, Patterson Dental)
- Freight carriers

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Expired or Damaged Dental Materials

What we don't transport:
- Expired dental materials or medications
- Broken crowns, dentures, or prosthetics (without protective packaging)
- Damaged or leaking containers

Why:
- Patient safety and quality concerns
- Risk of further damage during transport

Alternative:
- Dental office should properly package damaged items
- Expired materials should be disposed of per manufacturer guidelines

Medical Supply

Large or Heavy Medical Equipment (> 200 lbs)

What we don't transport:
- Hospital beds
- MRI machines, CT scanners, X-ray machines
- Dialysis machines (large units)
- Surgical tables or chairs
- Large oxygen concentrators or ventilators

Why:
- Exceed vehicle capacity and weight limits
- Require specialized freight equipment (lift gates, ramps)
- Require multiple personnel for safe handling

What we CAN transport:
- Portable medical equipment < 200 lbs (wheelchairs, walkers, portable oxygen, CPAP machines, nebulizers)

Alternative:
- Medical equipment freight carriers
- Equipment rental companies often provide delivery

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Hazardous Medical Materials

What we don't transport:
- Compressed gas cylinders (oxygen, nitrous oxide) > 50 lbs
- Flammable liquids (alcohol, acetone) in bulk
- Corrosive chemicals
- Infectious waste

Why:
- Require DOT hazmat certification beyond our current scope
- Safety and regulatory concerns

What we CAN transport:
- Small portable oxygen cylinders (< 50 lbs)
- Properly packaged, small quantities of medical supplies

Alternative:
- Hazardous materials couriers with DOT certification
- Medical gas suppliers provide delivery

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Sterile Surgical Instrument Trays (Without Proper Packaging)

What we don't transport:
- Sterile instrument trays without sealed, intact packaging
- Instruments with broken sterile barriers
- Instruments without sterile indicators

Why:
- Risk of contamination during transport
- Patient safety concerns
- Liability if sterility is compromised

What we CAN transport:
- Properly sealed, intact sterile instrument trays
- Instruments for sterilization (non-sterile transport)

Alternative:
- Facility should verify packaging integrity before transport
- Re-sterilize if sterility is questionable

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Bulk Medical Supply Shipments

What we don't transport:
- Wholesale medical supply shipments
- Pallet-sized shipments
- Shipments > 200 lbs or requiring freight equipment

Why:
- Health Haul specializes in small to medium deliveries
- Bulk shipments require freight logistics

Alternative:
- Medical supply distributors (McKesson Medical-Surgical, Medline, Cardinal Health)
- Freight carriers

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Used or Contaminated Medical Equipment (Without Proper Disinfection)

What we don't transport:
- Used medical equipment contaminated with blood, bodily fluids, or infectious materials
- Equipment without proper disinfection or decontamination
- Equipment from isolation rooms (COVID, TB, etc.) without clearance

Why:
- Bloodborne pathogen and infection control risks
- OSHA regulations require proper decontamination before transport

What we CAN transport:
- Properly disinfected and decontaminated equipment
- Equipment with documentation of cleaning/disinfection

Alternative:
- Facility should disinfect equipment per manufacturer guidelines before transport
- Medical waste companies for contaminated items requiring disposal

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