Impact of Automation in Pharmaceutical Industry on Roles and Responsibilities of Quality Assurance: A Review

Abstract

Automation is the use of different control technologies in sectors with minimal or decreased human interference to operate a range of procedures. Automation has made its way to the pharmaceutical industries in the recent past. Automation has been implemented in production, packaging, labeling, and warehousing departments. Production of personalized medicines has become a reality after implementing automated machines. The R and D sector has also been affected by incorporating the latest technologies. The conventional functions of Quality Assurance (QA) department were limited to preparing standard operating procedures (SOPs), carrying out audits, qualification, and validation of equipment and processes. This review focuses on the implementation of automated technologies in pharmaceutical industries and the impact it has had on the pharmaceutical quality assurance department. This article covers topics such as the Raman probe and the different ways it has been made use of in the pharmaceutical industries. The conventional role played by the QA department has also been enlisted while also mentioning how they change with the implementation of automated technologies.