Description
Pharmaceutical technology is the branch of pharmaceutics which deals with the technological design, development, manufacture, and evaluation of drugs and medicinal products.
Alternative labels
technological pharmaceutics
technology in pharmaceutics
pharmaceutical engineering
Skill type
knowledge
Skill reusability level
cross-sector
Relationships with occupations
Essential knowledge
Pharmaceutical technology 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.
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.
Industrial pharmacist: Industrial pharmacists are involved in the research and creation of medications. They develop new medicines, perform tests, assure quality and ensure that medication complies with regulations.
Pharmacist: Pharmacists prepare, dispense, and provide prescriptions for, over the counter medication. They offer clinical information on medicines, report suspected adverse reactions, and provide personalised support to patients. Pharmacists formulate and test medications in laboratories, and store, preserve, and distribute them.
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.
Â
Optional knowledge
Pharmaceutical technology 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.
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.
Physicist: Physicists are scientists who study physical phenomena. They focus their research depending on their specialisation, which can range from atomic particle physics to the study of phenomena in the universe. They apply their findings for the improvement of society by contributing to the development of energy supplies, treatment of illness, game development, cutting-edge equipment, and daily use objects.
Nanoengineer: Nanoengineers combine the scientific knowledge of atomic and molecular particles with engineering principles for applications in a varied array of fields. They apply findings in chemistry, biology, and materials engineering, etc. They use technological knowledge for the improvement of existing applications or the creation of micro objects.
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.
References
- Pharmaceutical technology – ESCO