AAPS –WANNA BE A ROCK STAR?

I recently attended an AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists) meeting at the LA Convention Center. I went to hone my analytical skills and to enhance my understanding of analytical chemistry as it pertains to compounded preparation.

 What I found there was essentially a room full of geniuses – 8500 geniuses to be exact (mostly PhDs) – from all parts of the globe. It was a lot like being dropped into a foreign country…without an interpreter. So many languages, so many perspectives, so much advanced technology, so many ways to go and options to explore.

 Awesome. Inspiring. Perception-altering. 

 I gotta tell you, this one-day foray into viewing the courses and equipment available was at once overwhelming and supremely motivating. It brought to mind the double-edged question:

 So you wanna be a ROCK STAR?!

 I do. I’m interested in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and also in understanding more about how aseptic pharmaceutical packaging is accomplished. I’m exploring my options — searching out better ways of qualifying and quantifying my work. I’m not a rock star yet, but I did make some contacts, and I did see many wondrous things. For instance…

 Picture this; a technician in a specialized clean room (similar to the one we have at Hartley Medical) – wrapped, gloved, full body suit, boots. The technician watches a machine fill vials with an injectable drug, reviewing its output. The technician then leaves the specialized room, walks into an aseptic packaging room where a similarly “wrapped” technician awaits. It is that technician’s job to assess the aseptic conditon of the first technician, touching the contact plates, right and left and then touching the top of the woman’s head to ascertain the presence of any bio burden. Then both move on to the next task. It was a beautiful thing, a powerful thing – and quite spiritual in its own way.

 Yes, spiritual. The powerful imaging of people properly gowned and undertaking a very high risk, high-purity-parameter task. A dedicated quality assurance technician. All sequenced into a tightly environmentally controlled process. Compared to current standards in our industry, this standard of care and attention to detail is off the charts.

 ROCK STAR Stuff.

 And that’s the way that it should be done. I was very gratified and moved to see it happen and to see so much made of it – because that is the level of quality control and practice excellence I have always striven to achieve in my operations.