Pharmaceutical

The pharmaceutical industry is no longer defined—or confined—by borders. Manufacturers are sourcing ingredients, materials, finished products, and contract packaging and manufacturing from around the world, and most are seeking to serve patients in multiple markets. The resulting supply chain is a complex one.

“Things are changing,” says Brian Johnson, senior director, supply-chain security, Pfizer Inc. “Markets are expanding, and where we are sourcing materials and manufacturing is changing.”

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has voluntarily recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol)Tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic) for customers in the U.S. market. An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence.

Plan now to visit Pharmapack Europe in Paris February 15-16. For more details on the event, visit www.pharmapack.fr. Hope to see you stop by the PMP News booth!

Wednesday

15th February 2012

9.30: Opening Address
“From Mesopotamia to modern times, THINK DIFFERENT about INNOVATION,” Patrice Noailles, Président, Seillans Investissement, France

We are pleased to announce that three packaging professionals have joined our Editorial Advisory Board:

Michael Forehand, Principal Packaging Engineer, Global Engineering and Technology, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals;

Dan Penny, Director of Packaging Engineering, Cardinal Health;

and Edward M. Dunn, Senior Director Packaging Technology, Merck Manufacturing Division.

Richard A. Bahr
President & CEO
MGS Machine Corp.

Most new packaging equipment can improve your line’s Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) compared with that of existing, less modern lines. In almost every case, machine manufacturers have stepped up their offerings in machine diagnostics, rapid/repeatable changeovers, and flexibility. Sure, all manufacturers’ offerings are not the same, but you will find most new equipment to be more efficient than past machines.

A new system launched in Brazil at FCE Pharma is designed to offer a stand-alone solution to support different approaches to pharmaceutical product serialization. VisioCIT can handle either labeling or direct coding, reports Christoph Lehmann, director of Uhlmann VisioTec GmbH (www.visiotecamerica.com), which can position companies to meet Brazil’s pending rules as well as others around the world.