Pharmaceutical companies are strengthening their quality assurance programs to comply with government regulations and customer expectations, according to a new survey published by Best Practices LLCThe research firm surveyed seven major pharmaceutical companies and found that they’re striving to: integrate quality control in their processes to stop problems before they start and refocus the quality function from a reactive system to a proactive system. In addition, the study reveals that training and certification programs are more important as companies prioritize employee development, and that auditing has become more important as a tool to prevent costly recalls, production shutdowns and manufacturing problems.

The report, “Quality Function: Structures, Staffing & Execution,” is available for download at www3.best-in-class.com/rr476.htm.