Pharma Tech
Pharmaceutical technology is a branch of science that deals with the development and use of technology used in the manufacture, formulation, and evaluation of drugs. The term was coined by John Davila in 1973 in a paper called "The Computerization of Modern/Size Pharmaceutical Manufacturing."
The principal aim is to improve the ease of doing clinical trials, resulting in the more efficacious clinical application of new drug treatments by reducing costs and improving short-term performance metrics. Technology is gaining momentum at an exponential pace and it will continue to do so in the future. It is important to be aware of the various advancements in healthcare technology, as they can have a huge impact on the way you treat patients and other stakeholders within the industry.
Pharma is populated with a growing number of customers and new technologies that pose certain challenges that only technology can solve. Once scientists develop new medicines, they will find new ways to treat diseases, but there is no room for error in testing on humans. To ensure that drugs are reliably tested, different companies implement different technologies on their products; some prefer manual tests, while others use machines.
Since 2009, the number of patents filed in the medical field has increased by 60% per year. In 2016 alone, 303 patent applications were filed by companies in the pharma industry compared with 149 in 2009. The use of technology in developing medications and the creation of new products has improved the quality of healthcare for patients and caregivers.
In recent years, technology has had an impact on every aspect of human life, including communication, transportation, manufacturing, and the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Modern pharmacists use information technology (IT) systems to better plan their daily work schedules. The method is simple to use and makes it possible to complete more work quickly and with little difficulty. The pharmaceutical industry also views information technology standards for cutting-edge operating procedures as a crucial component, with research and development (R&D) and production heavily reliant on a technology-based framework.
The development of digital technology takes into consideration the very fact that technological advancement can deliver its services to a sizable population worldwide in a way personalized can be individualized and makes daily life effective, less unengaging, and reimbursable, as well as the fact that it is precise and consistent in the use of terms and categorizations and customization.
In recent years, information technology has had the biggest and most profound impact on people's lives all over the world. Due to the many advantages of automated information technology, many pharmaceutical manufacturing companies have adopted computers. On the other hand, the changing disease eugenics, population pressures, and healthcare requirements have created significant difficulties for people on a global level. Increasing the presence and involvement of emerging technology in the global effort to achieve universal healthcare will help to address these myriad problems. Therefore, it's crucial to comprehend how technology can help us get past these challenges.
Technology advances will have a significant positive impact on the pharmaceutical industry, which faces difficult regulatory challenges. Through the use of technology, pharmacies can offer their customers better healthcare. Additionally, this helps them achieve better organizational, compliance, clinical, governmental, and financial outcomes. With the aid of technology, pharmacies can operate more quickly and have access to vital patient and medical data. The adoption of pharmaceutical technologies is not solely influenced by the potential benefits; it is also influenced by federal law. The way that medications are delivered, supplied, and regulated has quickly changed both domestically and internationally.
The driving force behind this change is the application of information technology to the healthcare industry. Paper records are being replaced by health information technology, which consists of various tools for managing and exchanging patient data electronically. Health information technology helps pharmacists make decisions in real time and provide patients with better care in novel ways. In summary, health information technology helps the pharmaceutical industry lower healthcare costs, enhances patient care, and benefits the healthcare system as a whole. Therefore, it benefits the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry can advance thanks to the following technological developments.
e-prescription
One of the ways physicians are meeting the Affordable Care Act criteria is through e-prescription, which is a large part of electronic healthcare records. Contrary to popular belief, e-prescriptions are advantageous to pharmacies and healthcare providers. By using e-prescriptions pharmacists can save time and money. Smooth patient care depends on the timely and accurate transfer of a patient's discharge medication from secondary to primary care. This helps to avoid mistakes brought on by misunderstandings. Many hospitals have made investments in e-prescribing programs. Medical prescriptions, their management, and distribution are made simpler through the use of electronic prescription structures. This has occasionally helped hospitals lower drug errors and increase patient safety. Nevertheless, there are some drawbacks to electronic prescription systems.
keeping a record of immunizations provided by pharmacists
The immunization program is overseen by pharmacists in addition to doctors, who are crucial to society's health. The number and variety of vaccines that local pharmacists can provide to patients is increased annually by state governments. The effectiveness of vaccinations administered by pharmacists is demonstrated by the fact that in 2012, nearly 15% of all flu shots were given locally. Thanks to technological advancements, vaccinations in pharmacies can now be recorded to provide a trustworthy and complete health record for patients and their healthcare providers.
Bar code recognition
Combining bar code medication recognition with e-prescribing platforms has been shown to decrease medication administration errors and improve the accuracy of medication histories. Contrarily, medical professionals frequently come up with ways to avoid bar code identification because they believe it to be a time-consuming process to identify medications by bar code. To combat forgery, the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), a directive for European healthcare providers, suggests specific recognition of medication at the point of free. The method will almost certainly include bar code medication recognition, which will have a significant impact on pharmacy workflow, even though the framework to support this has not yet been established.
Telecare
Telecare is the delivery of medical services and appointments to patients' homes via an electronic communications network. Telecare has several potential benefits, including lowering travel times and healthcare costs, increasing access to treatment by removing the need for in-person doctor visits, and putting patients at the center of their care. On the other hand, the advantages provided by telecare are based on various care scenarios and applications. Additionally, according to recent research, more proof of telecare's advantages and cost-effectiveness is required to support further investment in the technology.
The pharmaceutical industry is changing, much like earlier technologies. This development represents a significant leap forward in technology for the pharmaceutical sector, it also gives pharmacies the ability to enhance their daily operations and deliver better patient care. The pharmaceutical industry benefits from technology such as drug therapy management, automated delivery, mobile devices, and adherence monitoring.
Automated dispensing cabinet
A hospital-specific computerized drug storage unit or cabinet is known as an automated dispensing cabinet (ADC). Drug processing and dispensing close to the point of care is made possible by automated dispensing cabinets, which also maintain, track, and monitor drug delivery. By doing so, human error is decreased, filling times are lengthened, and employees are encouraged to focus on interacting with patients rather than filling prescriptions.
Prescription drug monitoring programme
Prescription drug monitoring programs gather information on state-specific controlled prescription substances in the majority of countries worldwide. In the majority of states, checking the database of the prescription drug monitoring program before writing a regulated prescription is optional but highly recommended. When prescribing and using regulated medicinal products, doctors and pharmacists can ensure the welfare of every patient by drawing on their knowledge of the state's prescription drug monitoring program.
Medication therapy management
Medication therapy management, an online tool for managing a patient's medications, provides the patient with a pharmacist's summary. The pharmacist will examine all drugs prescribed to the patient by all treating prescribers as well as any over-the-counter (OTC) and herbal products to identify and address drug issues. Possible problems include the need for medication for an untreated or poorly controlled disorder, medication errors, prescription duplication, unwanted medications, and unwanted medication. Additionally, the pharmacist will give the patient or their career medication-related education, consultation, and guidance to ensure proper drug usage.
3D-printed organs
The application of 3D printing has expanded into numerous industries as it becomes more well-liked and more reasonably priced. The bioprinting of organs is currently being studied by scientists and medical professionals. Tissue produced by printers can be used to print organs. Within the next five years, some people predict that 3D-printed organs will be used for transplants and other purposes like science. The scarcity of organs for transplant recipients may eventually disappear thanks to modern technology, but it is unclear how soon printed organs will be widely accessible.
Artificial intelligence
Similar to 3D printing, artificial intelligence is being used more and more by businesses, including those in the pharmaceutical sector (AI). Artificial intelligence does not imply that robots are smarter than humans, and things only get worse from there. In this sense, artificial intelligence simply refers to the use of computers and artificial intelligence for routine tasks so that actions requiring human effort and intelligence can be completed more quickly. For instance, similar technologies are being looked into for facial recognition in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. Researchers who work in the pharmaceutical industry's research and development division also turn to artificial intelligence to find various ways of efficacy in the creation of novel medicines for substances and elements.
Obalon balloon system
The Obalon balloon system and other devices are made to aid patients in losing weight. Saline balloons that have been filled are either inserted or swallowed (usually with an endoscope). For a patient to eat less and lose weight, the product causes something to happen in their stomach. The best performance comes from routine training and balloons. Three separate balloons are used in the Obalon balloon system for three months. A six-month cycle ends with the removal of the balloons via endoscopy. For those who have suffered, this technological advancement may be a successful way to make lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise alone. Intragastric balloons must be administered by doctors.
Biochemical product development
In layman's terms, the production of a prescription drug is a biochemical process. Pharmaceutical biochemists create brand-new medications for patients who have health issues. Additionally, they research how drugs affect people's health and well-being. Similar to other technological developments, there have been significant advancements in biochemical product growth. They sometimes employ artificial intelligence to assist them in making breakthroughs. It will be interesting to see what the future holds as pharmaceutical scientists and engineers develop medicines to improve human health.
Medication Reminder Devices
Patients can get smart medication reminders from a variety of devices on the market. Reminder devices that lock after taking the right dose, alarms and flashing lights when the patient needs a dose, and a patient compliance dashboard that can display your next scheduled dose are examples of technology used for these.
How do all these technological advancements in the pharmaceutical industry relate to the duties of a pharmacist? It is easy. The first people to dispense various drugs will be pharmacists, and they frequently interact with patients as they take medications. To answer patients' questions during pickup, they must stay current with new technology. Pharmacy technicians will also need to adapt to changes in the future, in addition to pharmacists. The duties of a pharmacy technician include managing the pharmaceutical inventory, packaging, and labelling of medications, as well as providing customer service through things like phone support and personal inspections. The links between the general public and the pharmaceutical industry are provided by pharmacists, managers, and pharmacy technicians.
