The Role of Pharmacists in Pharma Industry

The Role of Pharmacists in the Pharmaceutical Industry

• Pharmacists play a multifaceted role in the pharmaceutical industry.
• This includes research and development, manufacturing and quality assurance, drug information, patent applications, clinical trials, sales and marketing, and management.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

• Includes cosmetics, traditional medicines, and pharmaceuticals.

Cosmetics

• Substances applied to external human body parts (skin, hair, nails, lips, external genitals, teeth, oral mucous membranes).
• Intended for cleaning, perfuming, altering appearance, correcting body odor, or maintaining health.

Traditional Medicines

• Products used in traditional or indigenous medicine.
• Consists of naturally occurring substances from plants, animals, minerals, or their parts.
• Can be in unextracted or crude extract form, or in a homeopathic form.

Pharmaceuticals

• Products with a brand name, proprietary name, generic name, or non-proprietary name.
• Brand names are assigned by the manufacturing company.
• Proprietary names are the same as brand names.
• Generic names are scientific names for active ingredients, decided by expert committees (e.g., INN).
• Non-proprietary names are the same as generic names.
• Pharmaceutical companies hold patents for their medicines, which last up to 20 years, to protect novel inventions.
• After the patent expires, other companies can produce and sell versions of the medication under the generic name.

Pharmacists in the Pharmaceutical Industry

• Research and Development: Pharmacists contribute expertise in formulation development to improve the biological availability of active ingredients.
• Manufacture and Quality Assurance: Pharmacists' broad knowledge of pharmaceutical sciences ensures integrated quality assurance throughout production, including validation of processes and product testing before release.
• Drug Information: Pharmacists provide detailed information on medicines to healthcare professionals and the public, and may provide internal information within the company.
• Patent Applications and Drug Registration: Pharmacists understand the complex information required for patent and authorization submissions.
• Clinical Trials and Post-marketing Surveillance: Pharmacists' knowledge of drugs and health care is crucial for collaboration between companies, health professionals, and governments in clinical trials and surveillance.
• Sales and Marketing: Pharmacists contribute to appropriate marketing practices that consider patient interests.
• Management: Inclusion of pharmacists at all management levels promotes ethical practices in management policies.

Specific Roles within the Industry

• Production Manager: A pharmacist who is knowledgeable in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), prepares manufacturing schedules, ensures proper workflow, follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), keeps records, and maintains consistent quality standards (no errors in raw materials, weighing, or label reconciliation).
• Quality Control Manager: Responsible to top management for ensuring product quality through raw material, water, and air quality, using analytical methods to monitor quality, conduct stability studies, microbiol contamination tests, heavy metal tests, releasing products for sale, and managing product complaints and recalls.
• Regulatory Manager: Handles registration of new and existing products, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements (licensing, ADR reports), and manages harmonization of registration across different countries.
• Research Scientist: Involved in problem-solving research in Malaysia, focuses on new formulations, new dosage forms, and improving stability; includes synthesis, isolation, purification of active principles, cultivation medicinal plants, standardization of drugs, and toxicology of new drugs.
• Sales Representatives: Must have good knowledge of the products, outgoing personalities, strong communication, and persuasive skills. They often receive performance-based rewards.
• Marketing Personnel: Develops and implements product marketing strategies, plans product launches, designs and creates marketing communication (advertising/packages), targeting specific audiences.