How Facilities & Equipment are Driving the Future of Pharma
As we sat down to write the this blog for iSPEAK to promote the 2020 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo we wanted to look back over what has happened in the world in the first half of 2020 and to say it has been one for the history books is an understatement, it is something that none of us have ever seen and hope we never have to experience again. We have an opportunity to turn these terrible situations into positives.
Many of us have been working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and these challenging times have forced us out of our comfort zones as individuals, as businesses, and most importantly as human beings. We have been forced to rethink how we do business, how we interact with each other, how we treat each other and how we want to be treated. During these challenging times we also need to continue to manufacture lifesaving therapies without compromising the health and safety of the essential workers. Life will never be the same going forward, but our industry has an opportunity to shine, an opportunity to put people ahead of profits, an opportunity to rise to the occasion and meet an unprecedented medical need.
We know firsthand that there are researchers, scientists, doctors, medical professionals and many others who are working days and nights in order to develop a vaccine or treatment that is safe and effective to address the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time there are engineers, contractors, equipment suppliers and many others working day and night to build the necessary equipment and facilities in order to start the manufacturing processes as soon as possible. Processes that are typically run in series are now being run in parallel and any and all ideas are on the table and no stone will be left unturned to defeat COVID-19. The massively talented groups of people working together at multiple companies gives us an opportunity to show the world what we as an industry are capable of as more than one solution is going to be required to address this pandemic.
While all these issues have been going on the ISPE Annual Meeting Committee has been hard at work putting together all the content and sessions for the 2020 ISPE Annual Meeting. No sooner had we finished the program for a face to face conference; the decision was made to convert to a virtual event. This was a decision that was made with health and safety of ISPE membership as the primary focus and one that is appropriate considering the challenges we are currently seeing in the US. We are now hard at work re-doing the program to fit into hybrid delivery method. There will be sessions that will be broadcast live and there will be sessions that are a mix of pre-recorded sessions with live interaction. Additional details can be found at the 2020 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo website.
This year we have assembled a Facilities and Equipment (F&E) track that falls in line with the conference theme of Driving the Future of Pharma. This is a very broad track intended to challenge those involved in the delivery of pharmaceutical facilities used to support the development, manufacturing, testing, and storage of pharmaceutical industry products. We have delivered breakthrough therapies now we need to deliver break through facilities. This year’s Facilities and Equipment Track includes subject matter experts from regulated companies as well as the service providers and consultants we rely upon. These subject matter experts will share best practices and new approaches to increase efficiencies, lower costs and modernize the way we operate in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
Facilities and Equipment Track session leaders and speakers have put together a program of case studies, industry surveys, practical experience and forward-thinking strategies.
This year’s Facilities and Equipment Track topics include:
- A Workshop on Process Closure
- Advancing ATMPs in the City of Brotherly Love
- Agile Project Delivery
- Integrated CQV
- Designing for the Future
- Securing the future of a legacy facility
We look forward to meeting you this November at the 2020 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo – come join us virtually as we examine ways to Drive the Future of Pharma.
