Pharmaceutical industry

The main stakeholders, companies and procedures in the pharmaceutical industry and the laws and regulations that govern the patenting, testing, safety and marketing of drugs.

pharma industry
drug producers
companies in the pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical companies
pharmaceutical sector
pharmaceutical industries

knowledge

cross-sector

Pharmaceutical industry is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Pharmaceutical quality specialist: Pharmaceutical quality specialists perform inspections and precision measurements in order to test and ensure the quality of pharmaceutical products. They are involved in the whole development phase of a pharmaceutical product until it is ready for the market. This includes the process of acquiring clinical trial licences, advising the pharmaceutical development staff on regulatory requirements and evaluating the content of the package leaflet and other documentation on the product. Moreover, pharmaceutical quality specialists collect and evaluate information on side effects of the product and communicate this knowledge both internally and to the relevant authorities.
Specialist pharmacist: Specialist pharmacists provide specialist services for companies in the pharmacy industry and in hospital pharmacies.  The role of the specialist pharmacist varies throughout Europe, subject to national rules and training.
 
Pharmaceutical engineer: Pharmaceutical engineers design and develop technologies used in pharmaceutical research and drugs manufacture, advising the pharmaceutical manufacturing plants to maintain and operate those technologies and ensuring the customers` and workers` safety requirements are met. They may also be involved in the conception and design of pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and research centers.

Pharmaceutical industry is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Chemical production manager: Chemical production managers are responsible for the technical coordination and control of the chemical production processes. They steer one or more manufacturing units and oversee the implementation of technical and human means, within the framework of objectives of volume, quality and planning. Chemical production managers design and ensure that the production plans and schedules are met. They are responsible for implementation of the processes designed to ensure quality of the manufactured product, good working conditions and environmental practices, and safety of the workplace.
Pharmacologist: Pharmacologists study the manner in which drugs and medicaments interact with organisms, living systems, and their parts (i.e. cells, tissues, or organs). Their research aims at identifying substances that can be ingested by humans and that exert adequate biochemical functions for curing illnesses.
Pharmacy lecturer: Pharmacy lecturers are subject professors, teachers, or lecturers who instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, pharmacy, which is predominantly academic in nature. They work with their university research assistants and university teaching assistants
for the preparation of lectures and of exams, for leading laboratory practices, grading papers and exams and for leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their field of pharmacy, publish their findings and liaise with other university colleagues.
Manufacturing manager: Manufacturing managers plan, oversee and direct the manufacturing process in an organisation. They ensure products and services are efficiently produced within the timeframe and budget given.
Product assembly inspector: Product assembly inspectors evaluate products for compliance with specifications and defects in-line with clients’ requirements and organisational policies. They use measuring and testing equipment to ensure conformity to engineering and manufacturing specifications, quality, and safety standards and regulations. They also provide detailed inspection documentation and recommend action where problems are discovered.
Microbiologist: Microbiologists study and research the life forms, characteristics, and processes of microscopic organisms. They study microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, etc. in order to diagnose and counteract the effects that these microorganisms might have in animals, in the environment, in the food industry, or in the health care industry.
Immunologist: Immunologists research the immune system of living organisms (e.g. human body) and the way it reacts to external infections or invasive harmful agents (e.g. virus, bacteria, parasites). They focus their study on those diseases that affect the immunology of living organisms in order to classify them for treatment.
Chemical engineer: Chemical engineers design and develop large-scale chemical and physical production processes and are involved in the entire industrial process required for transforming raw materials into products.
Bacteriology technician: Bacteriology technicians provide technical assistance in researching and testing bacteria using laboratory equipment. They collect and analyse data for experiments, compile reports and maintain laboratory stock.
Biochemical engineer: Biochemical engineers research on the field of life science striving for new discoveries. They convert those findings into chemical solutions that can improve the wellbeing of society such as vaccines, tissue repair, crops improvement and green technologies advances such as cleaner fuels from natural resources.
Bioengineer: Bioengineers combine state of the art findings in the field of biology with engineering logics in order to develop solutions aimed at improving the well-being of society. They can develop improvement systems for natural resource conservation, agriculture, food production, genetic modification, and economic use.

References

1. Pharmaceutical industry – ESCO