Quality assurance and quality control are among the most important aspects of the pharmaceutical industry. This is how pharmaceutical companies ensure that drugs are safe, that they have the desired effect, and that they meet a high standard for quality.
According to one academic study, failures relating to quality assurance and quality control can cost a pharmaceutical business more than 100 million USD, and this can reach billions of dollars if you factor in litigation costs. Of course, most importantly, pharmaceutical quality assurance and quality control keeps patients safe.
If you’re interested in working in the pharmaceutical industry, a career in quality control and quality assurance could be for you. Skilled professionals in quality control and quality assurance are involved in every step of drug development—helping to keep products safe and effective.
Read on to find out some of the many reasons that quality control is the backbone of the pharmaceutical industry.
Understanding Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Quality assurance and quality control are essential to keeping pharmaceuticals safe and effective. However, quality assurance and quality control are distinct and focus on different aspects of pharmaceutical production. Quality assurance refers to the systems and protocols in place. It is most concerned with creating effective standard operating procedures (SOPs) and proper documentation. These procedures are created before a company begins to manufacture a drug, but can be updated to address any problems that may arise.
Quality control, on the other hand, is about testing products at various stages of production to catch any potential errors or issues. Raw materials are tested as they enter a facility to ensure that they are of proper quality. Products are also tested at various stages of production and before they are sent to market, to be sure that any defects are caught and properly addressed. While both fields are distinct, they both work together to keep products safe. That’s why programs that cover both quality assurance and quality control can be especially beneficial.
Ensure That Medicines Are Safe and Effective in a Quality Control and Quality Assurance Technician Career
If you decide to pursue a career in quality control after completing a pharmaceutical quality control course, you will play a big role in keeping products safe and effective. While the processes created by quality assurance professionals are designed to avoid any errors, product contamination, or other issues, those working in the pharmaceutical industry know that this alone is not enough to ensure product safety and efficacy.
Even if the risk of error is small, because pharmaceutical products are so essential to health—and in some cases can be life-saving—added precautions are necessary. Professionals working in quality control uncover any potential issues long before a product reaches the public. Their work also helps to refine procedures in the event that an issue is discovered.
Because products are tested at various stages of production, quality control professionals help to not only uncover the presence of a problem, but also provide valuable information about the stage of production where the error likely occurred. After a detailed investigation to uncover the source of the issue and appropriate corrective actions needed, quality assurance professionals who have completed a pharmaceutical quality assurance program can then redesign procedures to ensure that the issue does not occur again.
Do you want to find out more about preparing for a quality control or quality assurance technician career?
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