Whenever people need life-saving medication, a pharmaceutical manufacturer is there to put them together. This is especially the case right now, as manufacturing drugs and a vaccine to fight COVID-19 has become the utmost priority in this field. However, there have been shortages of critical drugs in Canada for the last decade or so, with many drugs, active ingredients, and other components coming from countries like India and China. This is because producing these types of drugs is less expensive in those countries compared to either Canada or the United States. Domestically, no drugs are manufactured in full within Canada. There have been calls for this trend to change, and it could act as a great opportunity for those wanting to pursue a pharmaceutical manufacturing career, especially as the pandemic continues.
With these changes, there could be greater quantities of critical drugs available to the public in the long-term, and more lives saved while avoiding overburdening healthcare systems. Here’s why pursuing a pharmaceutical manufacturing career during the COVID-19 pandemic could be a great opportunity if you’re looking to make a difference.
Canada Is Experiencing Drug Shortages, and Needs to Increase Drug Development
Unfortunately, Canada has experienced drug shortages for a number of years now. With this in mind, it creates a need for more drugs to be developed within Canada, to mitigate these shortages and to also limit the country’s reliance on drugs from other countries. Experts are concerned that some essential medication in Canada is going to completely run out, since the market dictates how easily the country can acquire these types of drugs. As such, a greater need for domestically-produced pharmaceuticals necessitates having more pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals available who can help make them.
Additionally, this shortage would require more advanced means of pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies to become available in order to produce ingredients and materials for drugs at a more rapid rate, so that shortages can be minimized as much as possible. If certain drugs can be quickly and efficiently produced, this could go a long way in ensuring people with COVID-19 can be treated, and possibly save lives. Better yet, Canada would gain greater self-sufficiency with regards to developing pharmaceutical drugs.
Having a Career in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Can Help Fight the Pandemic
Given both the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for both domestically-produced drugs and manufacturers who can be available to make them, pursuing a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing could lead to you helping to fight the pandemic as the novel coronavirus remains at large for the foreseeable future. Experts from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry are seeking professionals who can think outside the box and propose creative solutions for producing homegrown medication rather than depending on foreign importation.
The more pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals there are, the better the chance of domestically developing enough drugs to effectively treat COVID-19 patients, and in greater quantities. Since the pandemic is a marathon and not a race, the demand for pharmaceutical drugs and technologies that can help those suffering from the virus will continue. Therefore, those pursuing a pharmaceutical manufacturing career can play a role in providing life-saving medications that are in sufficient enough supply to avoid putting a strain on front-line workers and healthcare systems as a whole.
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