The pharmaceutical engineering field is relatively new, undefined and broad. It is a hands-on and experience-based specialty that originated out of the disconnect in the long-drawn out process of discovery, trial and approval of new medications.

Thousands of possible new medications start out with the beginning of the process. At the end, chemists and pharmacists are lucky to have one of those medications still in active processing. It can be a very expensive process, involving many varied specialists along the way. It is a process that needs good pharmaceutical engineering consultants. When looking for a pharmaceutical engineering consultant, consider these options.

1. Use a pharmaceutical engineering consultant to find expert witnesses and bio-professionals in the field.

2. Locate expert witnesses and associations in pharmaceutical engineering.

3. Find pharmaceutical engineers with experience in bioengineering.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a pharmaceutical engineering consultancy with expert witnesses and bio-professionals

Use pharmaceutical engineering consulting professionals who have the training and credentials to follow the whole process of discovery and approval of a new medication from beginning to end. When a process takes years and jumps from one facility and department to another, someone needs to follow the process. The expense can be too high otherwise. There can be steps left out and steps repeated.

I recommend: Deaton Engineering works with FDA-approved groups. They help with every step of the way of the pharmaceutical process, from development to optimization. They will make sure that facilities are clean and sanitary, and they work with all levels of the process from statistics to measurement and system designs. At Intota, you will find a whole directory of expert witnesses and consulting services for pharmaceutical engineering.

Use pharmaceutical consulting firms to locate the best associations and educational programs

A pharmaceutical engineering consultancy will put you in contact with the professional organizations and associations you need to help define and specialize in this industry.

I recommend: The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), founded in 1980, is an independent association composed of some of the world’s top pharmaceutical professionals. Look for pharmaceutical engineering consultants who have been published in ScienceDirect - Medical Engineering & Physics.

Use pharma consultants who have many years of experience

Because pharmaceutical engineering is a new field, other experts in the industry did the work before. These were professional engineers, administrators, chemists, doctors and regulators. Now the pharmaceutical engineer is supposed to know it all. There are professional consultants today who have been involved in this field and pharmaceutical process for many years.

I recommend: The pharmaceutical consulting firm DME Alliance is one of the long-standing businesses. They offer biomedical engineering services with expertise in equipment design, process technology, plant maintenance and project management. Vectech Pharmaceutical Consultants boast a 30-year history in the biomedical field, blending experience in both engineering and science. They offer practical and theoretical expertise with experienced industry leaders who keep up on FDA and governmental regulations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep in mind that pharmaceutical engineering consulting companies are new to the marketplace. Therefore, you may need to settle for biomedical engineers, software programs and some patchwork to put together the best program for your business