The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most important and valuable industries in the world. It is responsible for developing and producing medicines that
improve and save lives. However, there are some things you may not know about this fascinating industry. In this blog post, we will discuss six interesting facts
about the pharmaceutical industry!
1. THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF PHARMACEUTICALS IS HIGHLY REGULATED
All pharmaceutical products must go through a rigorous manufacturing process before they can be made available to patients. This process is heavily regulated by
various government agencies to ensure that the medicines are safe and effective. The pharmaceutical manufacturing process usually involves multiple steps, including
the preparation of raw materials, the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and the packaging and labeling of finished products. To ensure
patient safety, all pharmaceutical companies must adhere to strict regulations set by government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These
regulations are designed to protect patients by ensuring that medicines are safe and effective.
From over-the-counter flu tablets to crucial antibiotics and antidepressants, medicines are running scarce in UK pharmacies this year, causing concerns among
patients, the government, and the wider pharma industry.
Drug shortages have accelerated over the past year due to a clutch of problems including the after-effects of the pandemic on supply chains, the war in Ukraine,
and soaring input costs weighing on manufacturers. More recently, a sudden spike in respiratory infections - another by-product of Covid-19 that neither pharma
companies nor the government were able to predict - has deepened the crisis, with 70 commonly taken drugs out of stock in Britain as of February.
The problem is not unique to the UK. In a recent survey of groups representing pharmacies in 29 European countries, three quarters said shortages were worse this
winter than a year ago, with a quarter reporting more than 600 drugs in short supply. The US is also facing significant shortages of popular prescription drugs like
amoxicillin and Adderall, an ADHD medication.
To some extent, the current disruption is laying bare wider challenges facing the industry for several years that were only exacerbated by the pandemic.
The over-reliance on foreign suppliers for most active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is one of them. This model has left companies more susceptible to supply
shocks, which have in turn increased in frequency and severity due to pandemic lockdowns, the war in Ukraine and other issues such as the shortage of shipping
containers.
Pharma's long and opaque supply chains, alongside regulatory complexities, also mean it is taking longer for drugmakers to reconfigure manufacturing and distribution
in times of additional need.
British Pharma giant, GSK is planning to invest more than £200 million (about $253 million) into the United Kingdom over the next two years to strengthen
its manufacturing network.
The money will be used to improve the pharmaceutical group's UK sites, including construction of new facilities and assembly lines, The Daily Mail first reported
on Sunday.
GSK has already earmarked £67 million to upgrade its manufacturing site in Montrose, Scotland, where a new production facility is being constructed. The upgrade
is expected to help boost its production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for the future supply of medicines.
Regis Simard, head of global supply chain, told the publication that their six UK manufacturing sites, including Montrose, are an important part of their global
manufacturing network.
To increase efficiency savings, digital men's health provider Numan has joined forces with Invatech Health to deploy the health tech company's cutting-edge software Titan.
Launched in early 2019, Numan provides medication for 175,000 patients via its Cardiff-based fulfilment operation. A team of its clinicians create personalised treatment plans for the most common male health concerns.
In a statement, Invatech said its Titan software could deliver 20 per cent efficiency savings for Numan whilst supporting the company's ambitious growth plans with improved safety and scalability in processing medications. The new partnership also comes alongside 100 new contracts with community pharmacies around the UK.
Andrew Caple, director of Pharmacy Operations at of Numan, said: "Our findings show that three quarters of men will not visit a doctor when they have a health concern, and we therefore recognise that the online market provides a great opportunity to tackle these problems.