The Weblog for Pharmaceutical Scientist
5-26-04
Blend and Dose Uniformity Testing
I just flew in from Barnett's Blend and Dose Uniformity Testing
Conference. I will be dating all of you by Friday next
Wednesday on the latest.
5-19-04
Used Laboratory Equipment
Not everyone is from big pharmaceutical companies. I know of a few independant contractors and consultants. In these days of tight budgets and cost cutting, how do they afford equipment for their own testing? Let's look at a few used equipment sellers.
How about Diversified Equipment Inc.They have a wide array of UV spectrophotometers. They have an old Mettler on sale too. Do they have the Spectronics spec 20? They don't, but Labequip does. It makes me nostalgic for the old unversity days. Back when we really lived out Beer's Law.
Of course We can always look at the famous LabX site and find almost anything. Hey, what's this? A Gilford UV/Vis in good condition for auction. Its built in computer takes year up to 1999. So you have use 1904 in place of 2004. It a quirk but it still works.
I'm sure most of the dissolution manufacturers have used equipment for sale. Let's see. Distek, and possibly Toyamas, have information on buying used equipment. Although the others don't advertise used equipment, its a good bet the other companies also sell used equipment on request.
Back To School
Are you ready to go back to school? Here's an online graduate program in pharmaceutical manufacturing engineering. Sign up for this online program and learn the lastest FDA regulations cGMP requirements and and Quality Systems Regulations (QSR). Become the expert you are meant to be ready to meet the major demands that the pharmaceutical industry faces in the twenty-first century... more"
Compact shakers and rockers
"Compact shakers and rockers are said to be ideal for personal use or anywhere where benchtop space is limited, without compromising on features. Bibby Sterilin has added a personal touch to its range of Stuart shakers and rockers with the addition of some smart, new, space-saving units with footprints no bigger than a sheet of A4 paper.
The new compact shakers and rockers are said to be ideal for personal use or anywhere where benchtop space is limited. Small, however, doesn't mean a compromise on features. All models have digital selection of speed for reproducible settings, as well as a digital timer... more"
Quote of the Week
In Science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurred.
Sir William Osler (1849-1919) Canadian physician.
5-12-04
Welcome for your weekly capsule. This week my theme is conferences. Do you travel to learn the latest new technologies and techniques in the pharmaceutical industry? Well here are some conferences out of the dissolution field, but very up-and-coming sciences.
Don't Miss...
USP's ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
"The Science of Quality"
September 26–30, 2004; Sheraton Woodbridge Place • Iselin, NJ
The Annual Scientific Meeting provides an opportunity for pharmaceutical scientists and other scientific and regulatory stakeholders to directly contribute and participate in USP's standards-setting processes. Attendees will interact with USP's scientific experts both on the Council of Experts and on staff and help establish standards-setting priorities for the organization.
Process Analytical Technologies
"Improving quality design, risk-analysis and process control"
June 23 - 24, 2004; Café Royal, London, UK
This Conference will be a vehicle for Quality, Process, Development and Production Professionals to help achieve quality "right first time" through PAT understanding and application.
I W P C P S® 5
"Fifth International Workshop on Physical Characterization of Pharmaceutical Solids"
June 20 – 25, 2004; Radisson SAS Ettlingen, Germany
"Based on the experience with the past four international workshops on Physical Characterization of Pharmaceutical Solids in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 held in Lancaster PA, USA and Oxford, UK, and Stamford, USA the IWPCPS-5 will be again designed to provide basic and in-depth understanding of modern physical characterization of pharmaceutical solids. The program is intended to benefit scientists and researchers in the areas of drug discovery, preformulation, formulation, stability testing, product development, product quality control, and analytical services. Workshop participants will be exposed to several analytical approaches of characterizing a solid. They will learn how these approaches can complement each other and may be utilized individually or in concert in the solution of real problems in pharmaceutical development and solid-state chemistry."
IFPAC '04 Summer Summit
July 27-29, 2004; Westin Rio Mar Resort Hotel,Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
"Process Analytical Technology: PAT- A System for Design, Analysis and Control of Manufacturing."
Efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing is a critical part of an effective U.S. health care system. Process Analytical Technology is a System for designing, analyzing, and controlling manufacturing through timely measurements (during the processing) of critical quality and performance attributes of raw , in-process materials and processes with the goal of ensuring final product quality. The ultimate goal of PAT: to understand and control this manufacturing process.
Closing
You didn't see what you were looking for? Just visit this list of conferences.
Until next week...
5-5-04
Workshop recommendation
Are you looking for a conference to attend? Well, upcoming very soon is Novel Developments In Apparatus 4 and Fiber Optic Dissolution. This is a seminar and workshop taking place on June 29-30, 2004 at SOTAX USA Headquarters in Horsham, PA.
This workshop addresses pertinent issues in new dissolution technology Including:
- Method Validation for the Dissolution of Novel Dosage forms using USP 4
- USP 4 with Microspheres and Fiber Optics
- Intrinsic Dissolution and Fiber Optics
- Qualification and Validation of USP 4
- Alternative Uses of Fiber Optics
- USP 4 for Biological Modeling
Featuring an intensive workshop with case studies in the application of USP 4 for powders, sustained release products, soft gel capsules, suspensions, implants and IVIVC studies.
Sign up soon, the deadline is June 1, 2004!
Book of the Week
What are you reading this summer? How about a good mystery. "How did the mushroom expert come to poison himself with deadly fungi? The documents in the case seem to be simple love notes and letters home, yet they conceal a clue to the murderer who baffled the best minds in London."
" The Documents in the Case" is probably the only chemical "whodunit". Without giving the plot away, it illustrates the principles behind stereochemistry. "This book presents a series of documents relating to a suspicious death. The documents take the form of letters, medical reports, newspaper headlines, etc. The format gives less room for the witty conversational style of other novels by Dorothy L. Sayers, but I believe this is one of her best."
Vetsulin" to help diabetic dogs in U.S.
"Diabetic dogs in the United States will soon have their own treatment for severe thirst and other symptoms -- Vetsulin, the first U.S. government-approved insulin for canines."
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday the injectable prescription drug would be available in late summer. Before the drug's approval, U.S. veterinarians were stuck using human insulin to treat their diabetic patients, which include about one in 200 dogs, the agency said... more"
Science is organized knowledge.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Until next week...Pete