Drug Production Process In The Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical Industry

The production of drugs is kind of complex process. It starts from local school research where primary research begins. However, the pharma industry turns raw materials into finish drugs. We shall see how drugs are produced but not from the scratch though.
To better understand drug production process, let us start by comparing it with mobile phone production process.

A mobile phone has many components. One company may manufacture these components. However, because it is very difficult to be a jack of all trade to master them all, masters in the other fields produce many of the components. The main company may be producing just one component or in some worst settings none at all. In such a case, they are manufacturers that assemble products with after sales services.

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The process starts with having a target audience. Once the audience is known, what they liked most is considered. The next step is to determine the grade of that component that will wow the audience. They order for the component from the maker of that component or produce it themselves. The next thing is to order the other components and assemble them together. Other parts that may be sought from external sources are the packaging etc. They market it with the best method they can think and start sales afterwards.

Process Of Drug Production

As in the above scenario, a drug manufacturer will first consider the target audience. If the audience is for those children who suffer malaria in Africa, the drug will be in liquid form (drugs for children are mostly liquids). The next thing is to consider the active pharmaceutical ingredients that will be used. The quantity to be used is calculated based on the age of those who will use it and other factors. The API is produced or ordered from a producer.

The other excipients that will be needed must have been considered due to sound experiments on those API. Once the combination did not produce mark negative effects, the rest are ordered or produced.

However, it is very difficult to see a drug company producing all components of a drug alone.

Below is the breakdown of the production process

1. Production And Planning: This department uses little quantity of the API with other excipients to set the standard to be used (quality and quantity standard)
2. Purchasing: Once the standard is set, the quantity to be purchased or produce is determine. There is sometimes a company may want to produce their own API or excipients in which they need to also buy the raw materials for it.
3. Stores: Just as the name goes. They keep all supplies until when they will be needed for production
4. Design Technical Support: They do research, modify, and testing the production process.
5. Work Department: They are those who produce the drugs

Having all the ingredients, the right quantities are mixed and processed using various equipment.

This is subsequently followed by packaging. The materials for packaging may also be sought from a company that is specialised in producing packaging according to specifications. These company may be plastic or glass company like Beta glass in Delta state, Nigeria.

After production comes to the sales managers who promote the drug to medical personnel around the world.

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Note: API is the main drug that achieves the healing effect while excipients are inert ingredients, which are combined with the API to create a suitable drug. They positively affect the rate of drug absorption, dissolution, distribution, and metabolism.

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