Pharma manufacturing is a complex and ever-changing game. Trends change, regulations change, players change. At the same time, the need for collaboration between departments changes too. To remain competitive in the fast-paced global pharmaceutical market, companies need to adopt technology that not only enables them to meet production deadlines but also enables them to collaborate with various departments. This article lists five important factors that should be considered when joining hands with a third party pharmaceutical manufacturing partner.
Conduct an Appropriate Research.
When acquiring a third party manufacturer for your pharmaceuticals business, you must carefully research the capabilities of the partner and the level of collaboration you can expect. This is especially important if you are not an experienced manufacturer. If you are not an experienced manufacturer, it is important to conduct appropriate research before you decide to work with a third party. This research should include a review of the reputation of the third party company and the capability of the company to produce the products you order. A reliable and trustworthy manufacturer should be easy to work with and have the right capabilities to meet your needs. If you find a company that appears to be reliable but who also has a poor reputation, it may be a good idea to look elsewhere. To get a feel for how a third party could work for you, consider the following questions: How would we collaborate on a project-to-project basis? What would additional services be available to me as the senior pharma company? How would the third party help me meet quality assurance (quality control) and compliance (Medical Device, Food and Drug Administration) regulatory requirements?
Investigate the Company's Reputation.
One of the first things to do when deciding to work with a third party is to conduct an independent reputation survey of the company. You should also carefully review the questionnaire to make sure it is accurate and that no sensitive information is left out. This is especially important if the company has a troubled reputation, especially if it is a small company. A company with a poor reputation may have a lot going for it in terms of the right people, execution, and opportunity but will fail when it comes to getting the right product to the right place at the right time. If you find a company that appears to be reliable but who also has a poor reputation, it may be a good idea to look elsewhere.
List of products
When you are evaluating a third-party manufacturer, you should take the following steps to help you sort through the options: Get a list of the current products that the company makes, as well as the products it is expected to make in the near future. This will help you to determine the level of collaboration that you need and the type of relationship you need to enter into. Make sure that the list of products is current and up-to-date. It is important that you get this list from sources that you trust. Make sure that you get the list from vendors who you know you can trust to deliver.
Compliance with regulations
One of the best ways to protect your company and your industry is to follow the lead of industry leaders. And one of the best ways to do that is to sit down and talk with representatives from the major regulatory bodies that impact your industry. These regulatory bodies may request information from you that you are not required to share with the public, particularly if you are a smaller company. To avoid getting into trouble, it is important that you sit down and meet with regulatory representatives from the same body whenever you are required to provide information to that body. Additionally, you should carefully assess your ability to comply with the regulations and the ability of the company to do so. This can be difficult to do when you are dealing with a third party, as you do not have access to the same technical data that the manufacturer does.
Capabilities.
One of the things to keep in mind when selecting a third party for your manufacturing needs is to focus on the capabilities of the company, not just the products it makes. This is because a third party may provide a full range of capabilities that are not directly related to the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. For example, a third party could provide you with information technology that enables you to better manage your supply chain and inventory, as well as for analytics that help you understand your customers' needs better so you can tailor your products to meet those needs more effectively.
Bottom line
When making a decision to work with a third party, always keep in mind that you are working with a completely different department. Collaboration among departments is a key factor in the success of a pharmaceutical company. There are many advantages to working with a third party pharma manufacturing partner, including the fact that they can often help streamline your supply chain, help you meet quality control (quality assurance) and regulatory compliance (medical device, food and drug administration) requirements, and provide you with analytics that help you understand your customers better so you can tailor your products to meet their needs more effectively.
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