Meeting the People who Make Pharmaceuticals
On Tuesday we attended the annual Making Pharmaceuticals Exhibition and Conference at the Birmingham NCC next to the National Motorcycle Museum. The conference was all about showcasing the latest innovations within the pharma world whilst challenging our current ways of thinking and working. It was also a great opportunity to meet a variety of industry people and enjoy their expertise and passion.
The seminars that we attended focused upon validation, sterilisation and ensuring that product contamination is always kept to a minimum. Steve Haswell (3M), Chris Collins (Q Scientific Consulting) and Stefano Beni (Steelco Company) all delivered interesting talks about their experiences and recommendations.
My favourite seminar was delivered by Kalpesh Shah (Veolia) who argued that water efficiency needs to be treated as a higher priority. He gave the example of one company that he is working with who would be set to lose a staggering €16,000 per minute if there was an issue with their water supply. We often take for granted the continued clean supply of water but to ensure sustainable pharmaceutical production and manufacture we need to change this complacent attitude to one of our most valuable assets.
His 4 key steps for improved water efficiency were:
- The pharmaceutical industry needs to work together and communicate more upon the re-use of water.
- We need to appreciate the value of recycled water more.
- Work towards a more integrated approach to water management.
- The industry needs to streamline regulations and create clearer guidelines of the recycling of water.
Wandering around the exhibition stands was great fun. Stäubli had some of their amazing robotics on display, helping to illustrate that the pharma industry is always at the cutting edge of technology. It was fascinating how precise and fast the robots operated whilst being created with the utmost attention to sterilisation requirements.
The IMechE stand was really enjoyable as the energetic Ian Skinner introduced us to The Dolls of Confusion. The aim of the puzzle is to arrange the Russian dolls into weight order. We tried our best but only managed to get two right! The best attempt that day had been four which is really impressive. He then got us onto another array of challenges and problems to solve. This is what engineering is all about, engaging with issues in a variety of ways until you find a solution.
Making Pharmaceuticals is an excellent event which has already outgrown its current location (next year it will be held at the Ricoh Arena). My favourite part of the day was getting to meet the people that work in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries face-to-face and see the exciting projects and products that they work with. Howarth Air Technologies showed me their products which have helped to contain the Ebola virus in those infected so that they may be safely treated. It’s great to see the real-world uses of these products and to be reminded of the benefits to people and patients alike.
