The pharmaceutical industry finds, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceutical products or drugs to the public for the purpose to heal them, cure them of a disease, treat them for their conditions, or relieve the symptoms associated with these conditions. Pharmaceutical industries can produce generic or brand medicines and medical appliances. They also undertake research in the field of health management. Some pharmaceutical companies are involved in all these activities.
The main manufacturing units of the pharmaceutical industry are plants, animals, cells, and micro-organisms. Manufacturing plants mainly manufacture the basic drugs required in the development of the pharmaceutical products and drugs. The drugs are manufactured in sterile containers to minimize contamination. The purified drugs are then tested on various strains of animals to evaluate their action on the diseases and to determine their effects on the human body. After the testing is complete, the drugs are packed and released into the market for sale.
After the development of a successful drug, it is packed into capsules and released into the market for sale. The packaging of such pharmaceutical products is called caps and gowns. These gowns are made of solid solutions of aqueous humour and are used to contain the drug. Pharmaceuticals crystallise in to insoluble particles once they are processed. The process of crystallisation affects the chemical properties of the product.
The pharmaceutical professionals in the drug discovery and development team are known as the drug formulation experts. These professionals are responsible for ensuring that the medicinal components of the drug formulations have a harmonious relationship and balance during the manufacturing process. This ensures that the components work well together and form a perfect blend that has all the active ingredients in the right proportion. These professionals are involved in drug synthesis, drug design, drug dosage, material administration, quality control, labeling, and promotion. They are required to work closely with the physicians in the development of new drugs that will be released into the market.
It is one of the important jobs of these Pharmaceutical engineers to ensure that these drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans. The FDA authorizes new pharmaceuticals that have passed all the tests for safety and effectiveness. These drugs are then manufactured to meet all the specifications set by the FDA. These professionals are involved in the drug submission to the FDA. Submission is required so that the new drugs can be released into the market without any hindrances.
The pharmaceutical graduates who opt for the pharmaceutical engineering stream of study need to be equipped with a sound knowledge about biotechnology. They need to have an in-depth knowledge about the medical science, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, computer science, and biochemistry. They should also have strong interpersonal skills and be able to work as independently and as well as interact with a number of individuals at a time. There are some pharmaceutical engineers who choose to work in research institutions after graduation. In this case, they would be responsible for developing drugs that will be used for drug discovery.
As part of the drug development process, these Pharmaceutical scientists collaborate with various other experts such as clinical pharmacists, bioanalysts, quality control monitors, managers, programmers, quality assurance officers, regulatory officers, consultants, costumers, and the like. All these professionals are expected to contribute their own set of skills and expertise in the development of medicines that will be available in the market. This collaboration ensures that the process of drug discovery is carried out in the correct manner. Thus, all the efforts made by these Pharmaceutical scientists are geared towards the proper development of essential medicines that will be able to tackle all health issues effectively.
Apart from being involved in the drug discovery activities, these Pharmaceutical engineers also play a major role in the drug design and production. They apply their skills in drug synthesis, drug manufacture and quality control. This helps them in producing quality medicines that will meet the demands of the customers. Therefore, Pharmaceutical engineers can be regarded as the driving force behind the booming pharmaceutical industry. Hence, it is not wrong to say that these Pharmaceutical engineers are the future of the pharmaceutical world.