The pharmaceutical industry is estimated to be growing at 16 per cent annually. This will lead to an increase in employment opportunities for well-trained pharmaceutical scientists in which pharmacy graduates are well qualified to participate. Industrial pharmacy has diversified, with consolidation in the industry, and now offers a wide choice of career structure both in large innovative pharmaceutical companies and smaller support organisations. Industrial pharmacy delivers continuing education and unparalleled career growth opportunities: there has never been a better time to join.
The general optimism and growth is being driven by an increase in demand for new, effective and safe medicines. The world's population now lives longer, increasing the demand for medicines that prolong and improve the quality of life. With compassionate pressure increasing to address "third world" diseases, the industry will have to respond to hitherto unmet medical need. World governments are increasingly anxious to approve important new drugs and are streamlining their regulatory review processes to expedite approval. In the US, over 120 new drugs have been approved annually in each of the past two years, compared with 70 in the two years before that. Finally, care providers are increasingly relying on drugs to cut the cost of patient management in hospitals. The pharmaceutical industry has responded to this demand by increasing the supply of drugs, both in development and on the market, arising from general advances in science, for example in genomics and combinatorial chemistry. The ability to respond to unmet medical need with scientific excellence has fuelled the sustained growth in industrial pharmaceutical activity.
The pharmaceutical industry has changed radically over the past 20 years and the process of change is set to continue. Previously, the sector was populated with a number of self-contained companies that discovered, developed, manufactured and sold medicines. Consolidation in the industry has led to a change in the pattern of employment for industrial pharmacists. A smaller number of large companies continue to compete for talented pharmaceutical scientists to drive their development pipelines. However, international contract research and manufacturing organisations have now emerged, phoenix-like, from the embers of consolidation. Organisations like Quintiles, Boots Contract Manufacturing and Covance now support all sectors of the industry and grow as large pharmaceutical companies subcontract scientific studies and batch manufacture to manage capacity shortfalls. Similarly, consulting companies have developed to support decision-making and problem solving in all sectors of the industry. They specialise in virtually all aspects of industrial pharmacy, from regulatory compliance to drug delivery research. Smaller drug houses continue to produce specialist drug products and standard generic drugs. These companies must innovate to drive down manufacturing costs while maintaining the same regulatory compliance and quality standards as the large pharmaceutical companies. In all areas, the industrial pharmacist is ubiquitous and numbered among the senior leadership cadre in all branches of the industry. Industrial pharmacists must look to emerging contract research organisations, consultants and specialist drug product manufacturers for career opportunities in addition to the well-known, research-based pharmaceutical companies.
A recent Royal Pharmaceutical Society Industrial Pharmacists Group (IPG) Committee work group on recruitment has made a number of constructive suggestions about career development in the pharmaceutical industry. The challenges facing undergraduates and graduates contemplating industrial careers are not necessarily new; however new hurdles like the introduction of the Society's registration examination, industry consolidation and student loans have not helped the promotion of careers in industrial pharmacy. Pharmacists should not be discouraged by the obstacles and should be creative and tenacious in pursuing careers in the industry.
Boots's D10 building at Beeston, Nottingham is the largest industrial grade 1 listed building in the United Kingdom
Undergraduates seeking a career in industrial pharmacy should, without doubt, apply for industry/hospital preregistration places. This is not a prerequisite to a successful career in industrial pharmacy and the IPG Committee strongly recommends seeking entry level jobs after registration. Such jobs depend upon the nature of an individual company's business and would typically be in pharmaceutical development functions, such as formulation design, commercial or clinical trial manufacture and supply.
After two to three years' experience, industrial pharmacists should appraise their career objectives with a view to continuing education. Industrial pharmacists wishing to continue in research and development would be well advised to obtain formal research training by studying for a PhD or MSc by research. A career break within two to three years of starting an industrial career is recommended, although many companies will support part-time postgraduate study to PhD level.
Many pharmacists will use their industrial knowledge and experience to move to a secondary level jobs away from pharmaceutical development, eg, regulatory affairs, clinical research, commercial manufacturing/quality assurance or medical sales, marketing or information. Pharmacists moving to commercial medical departments often complete MBA degrees to orientate their pharmaceutical knowledge and experience to the health economic environment. Again, many companies will support staff financially and allow study leave.
Pharmacists wishing to direct commercial pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality assurance operations will now find the Qualified Person qualification is more accessible (PJ, December 18/25, 1999, p972). This professional qualification in industrial pharmacy is much sought after by drug companies and will soon become a legal requirement for clinical trial manufacture and supply in research organisations. In 1998, 17 qualified persons were added to the Royal Society of Chemistry's QP register. In the same year only one pharmacist was added to the Society's QP register. If the profession of pharmacy wishes to retain its influence in pharmaceutical manufacturing, more pharmacists need to become qualified persons.
Industrial career development does not, of necessity, require additional higher qualifications and many industrial pharmacists opt to build their skills and knowledge base through experience gained in different environments. Pharmacists working in regulatory affairs frequently move between pharmaceutical companies and the regulatory agencies to broaden their knowledge of regulatory strategy. Their career development is also supported in association with the British Institute of Regulatory Affairs.
There is, then, optimism, growth and career diversity in the pharmaceutical industry that only survives with a culture of continuing education, professional and personal development. Every industrial pharmacist has contributed to the success of the industry as it stands today: I hope this tradition continues into the new millennium.
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Multiple community pharmacy
This article considers some of the career opportunities offered by multiple pharmacy companies
It often seems like the great divide: independents and multiples. At first sight, the idea of practising as an independent health professional in an environment where so much appears to be pre-defined or ordered might seem like a strange choice, but in the fast moving health care scene pharmacy practice in a multiple has much to offer.
Multiple pharmacy represents a positive career choice for a number of reasons. Yes, at the heart of the job, the role of the community pharmacist is what the individual makes of it. But in a multiple environment career opportunities are many and varied. Not only does multiple pharmacy offer the choice of practising in a high street, local community, health centre pharmacy, or busy superstore, but these choices can in some cases be offered without a change of employer.
At the branch level, there is the challenge of combining professional skills with those of retail management. Not quite the same as in the independent, because this is retail management with a difference. In the larger multiples store management allows access to whole departments of people who make marketing, shop layout and product spacing, among other things, their business. Even in the small multiple, where the number of support staff may be fewer, there is room to get on with developing a pharmacy business.
At the same time, pharmacists who want to concentrate on the professional side can do so, with positions to suit all interests and time commitments. Multiples may not have started the vogue for extended hours, but pharmacists can now work mornings, school hours, evenings or weekends only, as the superstore-based multiples look to provide pharmaceutical services for 70, 80 or 90 hours of every week.
More mundanely, there will be an attraction for some of being able to count on a salary, without living with the detail of the National Health Service remuneration settlement or the latest discount inquiry as an everyday concern. In multiple pharmacy, someone else can worry about that, while pharmacists can get on with the business of health care.
In addition, as you would expect from large employers, multiples offer many additional benefits as part of a competitive salary package, with pensions, bonuses, sharesave schemes, payment of professional fees and staff discounts among those offered as standard by some companies.
Many words have been written about the isolation of community pharmacists. In a multiple there can be more of a team approach. Area managers (often pharmacists) will have responsibility for a group of pharmacies and will encourage close local co-operation. These areas often form the basis for local management meetings, training, and professional development opportunities.
Economies of scale also enable multiples to offer a whole range of support services, so within a large organisation there is always someone on hand to help answer queries or provide guidance on professional and managerial issues. It is perhaps in the area of job scope that the multiples offer their unique advantage. If you as a pharmacist have skills to offer, or want to develop an interest in training, personnel, professional development, marketing or operational management, then a career working for a multiple could provide those opportunities, not just in Britain, but increasingly in Europe and even further afield.
For many pharmacists, working for a multiple is a natural progression from their preregistration experience. Within the community sector, multiples now provide the vast majority of preregistration places, and their training schemes continue to evolve to keep pace with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's requirements.
Following registration, multiple pharmacy also provides opportunities for postgraduate learning. Many major employers offer sponsorship for postgraduate education - some have even been instrumental in the design of particular programmes working in concert with universities.
By doing so, multiples are increasingly committing themselves to the ideals and principles that are shaping the pharmacy profession for the future. With a considerable investment in the bricks and mortar of pharmacy premises, they need to do so, but it also means that multiple pharmacy will be instrumental in new role development and re-engineering the profession to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
This may be the challenge of combining the professional responsibilities of the dispensary with being the first port of call for health care that the Government is beginning to promote. Or it may mean carving out a role for community pharmacists in the emerging health care agendas of compliance and medicines management.
In doing so, multiples are finding new opportunities for pharmacists to spend part of the time in primary care work outside the pharmacy, honing new skills and gaining expertise in new areas. And these new roles need leading and managing, creating further job opportunities and the chance to work across primary care boundaries at a local level.
These are challenging times in health care. Change can be exciting, but can also provoke insecurity. Working for a multiple, pharmacists can take advantage of a stable and secure base, with support and back-up, while still taking forward their professional and career aspirations.
Three current careers
Ann Purnell joined Moss Chemists in 1995 from hospital pharmacy and locuming. She has already managed a community-based pharmacy and a concession in an Asda store, and acted as a manager on a number of pharmacy acquisitions. A qualified D32/33 NVQ assessor, Ann now spends two days a week exploring opportunities for professional development in the East Midlands.
Steve Eastham joined Boots as a preregistration graduate in 1979. His career has included roles as store manager, beauty sales manager, large store manager and district manager. At the same time, projects and secondments throughout the organisation have developed Steve's skills and understanding of pharmacy. After a successful period as pharmacy training manager, Steve has returned to the field in the new role of regional professional development manager, in which he says he can practice professionally and seriously contribute to the future of pharmacy. Boots is also sponsoring his study for an MBA.
Ketan Hindocha started his pharmacy career with Tesco as a pharmacy manager in December, 1995. After a spell as pharmacy refits manager he moved into the general management side of Tesco, following a period in fresh foods with a role as a store out-of-hours training manager. He is now on the company's development programme for store managers and is personnel manager in Tesco's South Tottenham store. Ketan retains his links with pharmacy as a pharmacy sponsor, a regional liaison role for pharmacy managers covering both pharmacy and general Tesco management issues.
It often seems like the great divide: independents and multiples. At first sight, the idea of practising as an independent health professional in an environment where so much appears to be pre-defined or ordered might seem like a strange choice, but in the fast moving health care scene pharmacy practice in a multiple has much to offer.
Multiple pharmacy represents a positive career choice for a number of reasons. Yes, at the heart of the job, the role of the community pharmacist is what the individual makes of it. But in a multiple environment career opportunities are many and varied. Not only does multiple pharmacy offer the choice of practising in a high street, local community, health centre pharmacy, or busy superstore, but these choices can in some cases be offered without a change of employer.
At the branch level, there is the challenge of combining professional skills with those of retail management. Not quite the same as in the independent, because this is retail management with a difference. In the larger multiples store management allows access to whole departments of people who make marketing, shop layout and product spacing, among other things, their business. Even in the small multiple, where the number of support staff may be fewer, there is room to get on with developing a pharmacy business.
At the same time, pharmacists who want to concentrate on the professional side can do so, with positions to suit all interests and time commitments. Multiples may not have started the vogue for extended hours, but pharmacists can now work mornings, school hours, evenings or weekends only, as the superstore-based multiples look to provide pharmaceutical services for 70, 80 or 90 hours of every week.
More mundanely, there will be an attraction for some of being able to count on a salary, without living with the detail of the National Health Service remuneration settlement or the latest discount inquiry as an everyday concern. In multiple pharmacy, someone else can worry about that, while pharmacists can get on with the business of health care.
In addition, as you would expect from large employers, multiples offer many additional benefits as part of a competitive salary package, with pensions, bonuses, sharesave schemes, payment of professional fees and staff discounts among those offered as standard by some companies.
Many words have been written about the isolation of community pharmacists. In a multiple there can be more of a team approach. Area managers (often pharmacists) will have responsibility for a group of pharmacies and will encourage close local co-operation. These areas often form the basis for local management meetings, training, and professional development opportunities.
Economies of scale also enable multiples to offer a whole range of support services, so within a large organisation there is always someone on hand to help answer queries or provide guidance on professional and managerial issues. It is perhaps in the area of job scope that the multiples offer their unique advantage. If you as a pharmacist have skills to offer, or want to develop an interest in training, personnel, professional development, marketing or operational management, then a career working for a multiple could provide those opportunities, not just in Britain, but increasingly in Europe and even further afield.
For many pharmacists, working for a multiple is a natural progression from their preregistration experience. Within the community sector, multiples now provide the vast majority of preregistration places, and their training schemes continue to evolve to keep pace with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's requirements.
Following registration, multiple pharmacy also provides opportunities for postgraduate learning. Many major employers offer sponsorship for postgraduate education - some have even been instrumental in the design of particular programmes working in concert with universities.
By doing so, multiples are increasingly committing themselves to the ideals and principles that are shaping the pharmacy profession for the future. With a considerable investment in the bricks and mortar of pharmacy premises, they need to do so, but it also means that multiple pharmacy will be instrumental in new role development and re-engineering the profession to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
This may be the challenge of combining the professional responsibilities of the dispensary with being the first port of call for health care that the Government is beginning to promote. Or it may mean carving out a role for community pharmacists in the emerging health care agendas of compliance and medicines management.
In doing so, multiples are finding new opportunities for pharmacists to spend part of the time in primary care work outside the pharmacy, honing new skills and gaining expertise in new areas. And these new roles need leading and managing, creating further job opportunities and the chance to work across primary care boundaries at a local level.
These are challenging times in health care. Change can be exciting, but can also provoke insecurity. Working for a multiple, pharmacists can take advantage of a stable and secure base, with support and back-up, while still taking forward their professional and career aspirations.
Three current careers
Ann Purnell joined Moss Chemists in 1995 from hospital pharmacy and locuming. She has already managed a community-based pharmacy and a concession in an Asda store, and acted as a manager on a number of pharmacy acquisitions. A qualified D32/33 NVQ assessor, Ann now spends two days a week exploring opportunities for professional development in the East Midlands.
Steve Eastham joined Boots as a preregistration graduate in 1979. His career has included roles as store manager, beauty sales manager, large store manager and district manager. At the same time, projects and secondments throughout the organisation have developed Steve's skills and understanding of pharmacy. After a successful period as pharmacy training manager, Steve has returned to the field in the new role of regional professional development manager, in which he says he can practice professionally and seriously contribute to the future of pharmacy. Boots is also sponsoring his study for an MBA.
Ketan Hindocha started his pharmacy career with Tesco as a pharmacy manager in December, 1995. After a spell as pharmacy refits manager he moved into the general management side of Tesco, following a period in fresh foods with a role as a store out-of-hours training manager. He is now on the company's development programme for store managers and is personnel manager in Tesco's South Tottenham store. Ketan retains his links with pharmacy as a pharmacy sponsor, a regional liaison role for pharmacy managers covering both pharmacy and general Tesco management issues.
A career as a practice pharmacist
Pharmacists have been working with general medical practitioners for more than a decade, but recent changes in the structure of health care delivery, particularly the advent of primary care groups (PCGs) and their equivalents in Scotland and Wales, are creating a growing number of opportunities for pharmacists in this field
The total number of pharmacists currently working with GPs is unknown, but a survey conducted by the National Prescribing Centre (NPC) in the summer of 1999 found that over 440 professionals - mostly pharmacists - were providing prescribing support to a total of 344 PCGs in 91 health authorities. Of the 137 PCGs which, at the time of the survey, did not have prescribing support, many were actively recruiting during the autumn of last year.
Pharmacists working in practices are employed according to a variety of different working arrangements - full-time, part-time or on a sessional basis. Of the 440 professionals in the NPC survey, over 150 were working full time and more than 90 half time or more. What seems likely is that as more PCGs experience the benefits of pharmaceutical input, and PCGs merge and become larger, an increasing number of pharmacists will be employed on a permanent and full time basis.
Fast growing
Fuelled in large measure by the need to contain prescribing budgets, practice pharmacy is one of the fastest growing specialisms in the profession, if not in the whole of the National Health Service. It has been suggested that within the next five years or so, every PCG could be employing up to six pharmacists. This represents an enormous opportunity for those pharmacists with the appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skill. Indeed, skills are more important than previous background. So, whether one has worked in hospital, community or academia matters less than the motivation and ability to gain the right skills.
That practice pharmacists need sound clinical skills is obvious. But this means more than understanding how drugs work, their side effects, interactions and what they cost. Practice pharmacists need to be able to apply their clinical knowledge to individual patients and groups of patients. An ability to evaluate published evidence and health economic data is also vital - in other words, critical appraisal skills are needed. It is also necessary to have a broad understanding of primary care systems, hospital interface issues, the pharmaceutical industry and a perspective on public health, as well as skills in marketing and information technology.
But what is just as important, if not more so, is "people skills". Practice pharmacists work with multidisciplinary teams that may never have worked with a pharmacist before. Although many pharmacy colleagues have already been trail blazers in this field, practice team members may be a bit sceptical and require convincing of the value of a pharmacist's contribution. In short, it is necessary to be able to build effective and long-lasting relationships within the practice team.
Practice pharmacists also need to able to work as independent professionals and to communicate to the team with authority. They need to be assertive and good negotiators, capable of balancing the concerns of the practice with their own professional position.
Yes, it is a tall order, but most practice pharmacists will say how great are the rewards, in terms of professional satisfaction. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, they start to see the big picture, not just a part of it. Most practice pharmacists value the fact that they have broadened their knowledge of the NHS and what other health professionals do as well as presenting a pharmacy voice at the practice level.
Activities
So, what do practice pharmacists do? They are involved in a wide range of activities, which generally fall into two broad categories - strategic and operational. At the strategic level, practice pharmacists can be involved in the planning of pharmaceutical services, medicines management, clinical guidelines, formulary development and prescribing policy across the PCG (or primary care trust).
At an operational level, pharmacists can provide prescribing support to individual practices (analysis of prescribing data, repeat prescribing protocols, management of new and/or high cost drug prescribing), run clinics (anticoagulant, analgesic and diabetic), provide pharmaceutical care to individuals in care homes and liaise with hospitals on discharge planning issues around medicines.
Those who wish to apply for one of these posts should look carefully at the job description and check exactly what the practice is looking for. This should also be discussed thoroughly at any interview to make sure that the applicants skills match as nearly as possible the job the practice wants doing. Because these posts are relatively new, there is a lot of room for innovation and professional satisfaction, but potential also for disappointment on the part of the practice if its expectations are not met.
As with any new specialism, there is currently little in the way of a career structure and an overall lack of clarity in relation to roles and professional standards. One model has been put forward and, in collaboration with the Department of Health, the NPC is working on a national initiative with the aim of defining core roles and competencies for this group of professionals. The next stage will be to develop standards for practice and link these with these continuing professional development requirements.
Training
There is no specialised training for practice pharmacists, so they need to be able to recognise their own training needs and to form their own development plans. These can then be met from the usual variety of sources - workshops, distance learning, conferences, mentoring and reading journals and books.
Professional isolation is a problem for practice pharmacists, simply because they are usually the only pharmacy voice in a multidisciplinary environment. However, as a group, they are evolving rapidly and developing an identity of their own. Two primary care pharmacists' groups - the Primary Care Pharmacists' Association (PCPA) and the Prescribing Support Pharmacists' Group (PSGP) - are now in existence and provide channels for two-way communication and sharing of ideas and information. There is also a new journal Primary Care Pharmacy.
Practice pharmacy is the fastest growing wing of the profession and is professionally rewarding for pharmacists with the right skills or the motivation and ability to develop them. Testing clinical, management and interpersonal skills to the utmost, this job currently provides a challenge like no other, and if done well, helps to raise the profile of pharmacy within the primary health care team. Moreover, practice pharmacists have the potential to be a powerful force in helping to shape the future direction of health care in general and the delivery of pharmaceutical care in particular - patients should ultimately benefit, too.
The total number of pharmacists currently working with GPs is unknown, but a survey conducted by the National Prescribing Centre (NPC) in the summer of 1999 found that over 440 professionals - mostly pharmacists - were providing prescribing support to a total of 344 PCGs in 91 health authorities. Of the 137 PCGs which, at the time of the survey, did not have prescribing support, many were actively recruiting during the autumn of last year.
Pharmacists working in practices are employed according to a variety of different working arrangements - full-time, part-time or on a sessional basis. Of the 440 professionals in the NPC survey, over 150 were working full time and more than 90 half time or more. What seems likely is that as more PCGs experience the benefits of pharmaceutical input, and PCGs merge and become larger, an increasing number of pharmacists will be employed on a permanent and full time basis.
Fast growing
Fuelled in large measure by the need to contain prescribing budgets, practice pharmacy is one of the fastest growing specialisms in the profession, if not in the whole of the National Health Service. It has been suggested that within the next five years or so, every PCG could be employing up to six pharmacists. This represents an enormous opportunity for those pharmacists with the appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skill. Indeed, skills are more important than previous background. So, whether one has worked in hospital, community or academia matters less than the motivation and ability to gain the right skills.
That practice pharmacists need sound clinical skills is obvious. But this means more than understanding how drugs work, their side effects, interactions and what they cost. Practice pharmacists need to be able to apply their clinical knowledge to individual patients and groups of patients. An ability to evaluate published evidence and health economic data is also vital - in other words, critical appraisal skills are needed. It is also necessary to have a broad understanding of primary care systems, hospital interface issues, the pharmaceutical industry and a perspective on public health, as well as skills in marketing and information technology.
But what is just as important, if not more so, is "people skills". Practice pharmacists work with multidisciplinary teams that may never have worked with a pharmacist before. Although many pharmacy colleagues have already been trail blazers in this field, practice team members may be a bit sceptical and require convincing of the value of a pharmacist's contribution. In short, it is necessary to be able to build effective and long-lasting relationships within the practice team.
Practice pharmacists also need to able to work as independent professionals and to communicate to the team with authority. They need to be assertive and good negotiators, capable of balancing the concerns of the practice with their own professional position.
Yes, it is a tall order, but most practice pharmacists will say how great are the rewards, in terms of professional satisfaction. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, they start to see the big picture, not just a part of it. Most practice pharmacists value the fact that they have broadened their knowledge of the NHS and what other health professionals do as well as presenting a pharmacy voice at the practice level.
Activities
So, what do practice pharmacists do? They are involved in a wide range of activities, which generally fall into two broad categories - strategic and operational. At the strategic level, practice pharmacists can be involved in the planning of pharmaceutical services, medicines management, clinical guidelines, formulary development and prescribing policy across the PCG (or primary care trust).
At an operational level, pharmacists can provide prescribing support to individual practices (analysis of prescribing data, repeat prescribing protocols, management of new and/or high cost drug prescribing), run clinics (anticoagulant, analgesic and diabetic), provide pharmaceutical care to individuals in care homes and liaise with hospitals on discharge planning issues around medicines.
Those who wish to apply for one of these posts should look carefully at the job description and check exactly what the practice is looking for. This should also be discussed thoroughly at any interview to make sure that the applicants skills match as nearly as possible the job the practice wants doing. Because these posts are relatively new, there is a lot of room for innovation and professional satisfaction, but potential also for disappointment on the part of the practice if its expectations are not met.
As with any new specialism, there is currently little in the way of a career structure and an overall lack of clarity in relation to roles and professional standards. One model has been put forward and, in collaboration with the Department of Health, the NPC is working on a national initiative with the aim of defining core roles and competencies for this group of professionals. The next stage will be to develop standards for practice and link these with these continuing professional development requirements.
Training
There is no specialised training for practice pharmacists, so they need to be able to recognise their own training needs and to form their own development plans. These can then be met from the usual variety of sources - workshops, distance learning, conferences, mentoring and reading journals and books.
Professional isolation is a problem for practice pharmacists, simply because they are usually the only pharmacy voice in a multidisciplinary environment. However, as a group, they are evolving rapidly and developing an identity of their own. Two primary care pharmacists' groups - the Primary Care Pharmacists' Association (PCPA) and the Prescribing Support Pharmacists' Group (PSGP) - are now in existence and provide channels for two-way communication and sharing of ideas and information. There is also a new journal Primary Care Pharmacy.
Practice pharmacy is the fastest growing wing of the profession and is professionally rewarding for pharmacists with the right skills or the motivation and ability to develop them. Testing clinical, management and interpersonal skills to the utmost, this job currently provides a challenge like no other, and if done well, helps to raise the profile of pharmacy within the primary health care team. Moreover, practice pharmacists have the potential to be a powerful force in helping to shape the future direction of health care in general and the delivery of pharmaceutical care in particular - patients should ultimately benefit, too.
Hospital pharmacy as a career
There is a considerable range of options open to those who decide to enter hospital pharmacy. Colin Rodden offers a taste of what a hospital career can entail
There is no longer a single career structure for hospital pharmacy. Instead, there is a myriad of possibilities. Importantly, specialisation in one area does not bar pharmacists from posts in other areas.
Newly recruited basic grade pharmacists rotate through the various sections of the typical hospital pharmacy department, gaining experience of the different specialties. Although most basic training is conducted in the course of normal working, there is usually also the opportunity to study for a clinical diploma or MSc and a commitment to continuing professional development. As your career progresses and you are promoted, you will need to decide in which area you wish to specialise and, possibly, which sub-specialisation within that area.
Clinical pharmacy forms a large part of hospital pharmacy work. Clinical pharmacists are part of the health care team on the ward, working with medical and nursing staff and the various therapy professions. Within the team, they are the experts on drugs and their advice is sought by the other members. Clinical pharmacists work closely with both prescriber and patient. They often attend consultant ward rounds where they can influence prescribing, rather than react to it later.
Some pharmacists are also heavily involved with outpatient treatment in clinics such as anticoagulant, rheumatology and gastroenterology clinics. Clinical pharmacy is very patient-centred and allows use and updating of all the knowledge that has been gained at university. In the majority of grades in most hospitals, clinical pharmacy is part of your job. However, at the highest grades, clinical pharmacy either tends to be a full time occupation or there is little, if any, practical involvement.
A sub-specialisation of clinical pharmacy is palliative care. Palliative care pharmacists work closely with hospices and community pharmacists to ensure that the last days or months of terminally ill patients are as comfortable as possible.
Drug information departments provide great support for clinical pharmacists. Drug information pharmacists critically assess claims made of drugs by their manufacturers or in clinical trial reports. Literature searches have been transformed by the use of computers and the internet. This information is also of use to formulary pharmacists who work closely with local drug and therapeutics committees to ensure that prescribing is rational and cost-effective. Helping guarantee this are audit pharmacists. Monitoring the use and effectiveness of drugs and techniques is very important in today's environment where resources are limited and the introduction of clinical governance has raised the profile of clinical audit.
In recent years there have been moves to cut both the workload of and the hours worked by junior doctors with the result that pharmacists now carry out some of their duties.
Intravenous additives are now more likely to be produced in a pharmacy aseptic unit than on the ward, as are cytotoxic drugs, where the extra dose check by pharmacists leads to improved patient safety. Indeed, studies have shown that it is significantly safer all round if intravenous drugs are prepared in pharmacies. However, working in an aseptic unit involves more than just IV additives.
Pharmaceutical production
If the unit is licensed by the Medicines Control Agency for production, a wide range of products will be manufactured which can include injections and eye drops. There can also be involvement in the preparation of products for use in clinical trials and research is often required in order to produce a stable formulation. Production units also make creams, ointments, lotions and suspensions.
Frequently, commercial manufacturers have details of oral liquid formulations of drugs which they do not market because limited shelf life significantly reduces the commercial viability of the product. This information can be used to prepare the product extemporaneously for use within individual hospitals. Quality assurance pharmacists not only make certain the final products are acceptable, they assess every step in the production process to ensure quality is built in at every stage.
Radiopharmacies are specialised production units which manufacture a range of radioactive therapeutic and diagnostic preparations.
Increasingly, clinical pharmacists are becoming more involved with admission and discharge processes. In the latter, this can range from checking that discharge prescriptions are accurate and clinically optimised to actually writing discharge prescriptions.
From the ward, prescriptions are delivered to the dispensary. Many hospitals have moved away from central departments towards satellite dispensaries in the busiest patient areas, but others retain central dispensaries. In the dispensary, prescriptions are dispensed, checked and returned to wards so that treatment can continue or patients can go home. The dispensary manager's job is to ensure that prescriptions are completed accurately and timeously so that treatment or discharge can proceed smoothly.
Not all specialties can be found in every hospital. Grades within hospital pharmacy range from A to H, with the latter being the most senior. Specialisation usually begins at grade C and extends through to E or F grade (current salary £32,980 to £38,643 pa), although area or regional specialists are often graded G or H (currently £36,755 to £45,250). Generally, the higher grades are in pharmacy management, where you would be responsible for a pharmacy department within a hospital or trust, although in some trusts pharmacy managers are on the National Health Service senior managers pay scale instead.
In conclusion, hospital pharmacy is not static and new specialisms are being introduced all of the time. Who can tell what hospital pharmacy might be like in 10 years time?
There is no longer a single career structure for hospital pharmacy. Instead, there is a myriad of possibilities. Importantly, specialisation in one area does not bar pharmacists from posts in other areas.
Newly recruited basic grade pharmacists rotate through the various sections of the typical hospital pharmacy department, gaining experience of the different specialties. Although most basic training is conducted in the course of normal working, there is usually also the opportunity to study for a clinical diploma or MSc and a commitment to continuing professional development. As your career progresses and you are promoted, you will need to decide in which area you wish to specialise and, possibly, which sub-specialisation within that area.
Clinical pharmacy forms a large part of hospital pharmacy work. Clinical pharmacists are part of the health care team on the ward, working with medical and nursing staff and the various therapy professions. Within the team, they are the experts on drugs and their advice is sought by the other members. Clinical pharmacists work closely with both prescriber and patient. They often attend consultant ward rounds where they can influence prescribing, rather than react to it later.
Some pharmacists are also heavily involved with outpatient treatment in clinics such as anticoagulant, rheumatology and gastroenterology clinics. Clinical pharmacy is very patient-centred and allows use and updating of all the knowledge that has been gained at university. In the majority of grades in most hospitals, clinical pharmacy is part of your job. However, at the highest grades, clinical pharmacy either tends to be a full time occupation or there is little, if any, practical involvement.
A sub-specialisation of clinical pharmacy is palliative care. Palliative care pharmacists work closely with hospices and community pharmacists to ensure that the last days or months of terminally ill patients are as comfortable as possible.
Drug information departments provide great support for clinical pharmacists. Drug information pharmacists critically assess claims made of drugs by their manufacturers or in clinical trial reports. Literature searches have been transformed by the use of computers and the internet. This information is also of use to formulary pharmacists who work closely with local drug and therapeutics committees to ensure that prescribing is rational and cost-effective. Helping guarantee this are audit pharmacists. Monitoring the use and effectiveness of drugs and techniques is very important in today's environment where resources are limited and the introduction of clinical governance has raised the profile of clinical audit.
In recent years there have been moves to cut both the workload of and the hours worked by junior doctors with the result that pharmacists now carry out some of their duties.
Intravenous additives are now more likely to be produced in a pharmacy aseptic unit than on the ward, as are cytotoxic drugs, where the extra dose check by pharmacists leads to improved patient safety. Indeed, studies have shown that it is significantly safer all round if intravenous drugs are prepared in pharmacies. However, working in an aseptic unit involves more than just IV additives.
Pharmaceutical production
If the unit is licensed by the Medicines Control Agency for production, a wide range of products will be manufactured which can include injections and eye drops. There can also be involvement in the preparation of products for use in clinical trials and research is often required in order to produce a stable formulation. Production units also make creams, ointments, lotions and suspensions.
Frequently, commercial manufacturers have details of oral liquid formulations of drugs which they do not market because limited shelf life significantly reduces the commercial viability of the product. This information can be used to prepare the product extemporaneously for use within individual hospitals. Quality assurance pharmacists not only make certain the final products are acceptable, they assess every step in the production process to ensure quality is built in at every stage.
Radiopharmacies are specialised production units which manufacture a range of radioactive therapeutic and diagnostic preparations.
Increasingly, clinical pharmacists are becoming more involved with admission and discharge processes. In the latter, this can range from checking that discharge prescriptions are accurate and clinically optimised to actually writing discharge prescriptions.
From the ward, prescriptions are delivered to the dispensary. Many hospitals have moved away from central departments towards satellite dispensaries in the busiest patient areas, but others retain central dispensaries. In the dispensary, prescriptions are dispensed, checked and returned to wards so that treatment can continue or patients can go home. The dispensary manager's job is to ensure that prescriptions are completed accurately and timeously so that treatment or discharge can proceed smoothly.
Not all specialties can be found in every hospital. Grades within hospital pharmacy range from A to H, with the latter being the most senior. Specialisation usually begins at grade C and extends through to E or F grade (current salary £32,980 to £38,643 pa), although area or regional specialists are often graded G or H (currently £36,755 to £45,250). Generally, the higher grades are in pharmacy management, where you would be responsible for a pharmacy department within a hospital or trust, although in some trusts pharmacy managers are on the National Health Service senior managers pay scale instead.
In conclusion, hospital pharmacy is not static and new specialisms are being introduced all of the time. Who can tell what hospital pharmacy might be like in 10 years time?
Pharmacy Courses in the UK
Today medicines are becoming more complex as advances are made in protein therapy, genomics and drug delivery systems. Studying pharmacy courses holds the key to a vast array of career pathways as the medicines expert. It can lead to a career in hospital, a high street community pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry, prison service and journalism, to name a few. And this is all from one specialist degree course!
Studying one of the pharmacy courses in the UK means completing the four-year Master of Pharmacy degree. This is the only qualification that allows students, after a further year of paid pre-registration training and the registration exam, to register as a pharmacist with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSBG). The degree course covers a wide range of sciences: medicinal chemistry (the chemical design and synthesis of drugs), pharmacognosy (drugs that occur naturally - legal and illegal), pharmacology (the actions and uses of medicines and their effects on the body), biochemistry (the chemical processes in the body), pharmaceutics (formulating a drug into a medicine such as a tablet or capsule) and pharmacy practice (which includes dispensing, patient care, hospital visits, pharmacy law and ethics).
"Why study one science when pharmacy courses allow you to study more, right from the molecule to the patient."
Anabel Rodriguez, 3rd Year MPharm Student
The MPharm degree not only provides the necessary pharmaceutical and scientific knowledge, but also the skills to work as a professional member of the nation's health care team, whether it's discovering a new drug, going on ward rounds, liaising with other health care professionals to manage a patient's care, giving advice as part of a medicines information team or even marketing new medicines. The skills students develop over the four years - critical and rational thinking, problem solving, evaluation of research and teamwork - are of paramount importance in the workplace, where they are tested on a daily basis.
Hospital Pharmacy
Although the MPharm degree does not incorporate a clinical component in the same way medical and nursing degrees do, students do get exposure to areas of hospital pharmacy. They meet patients on the wards and are given the opportunity to interview them regarding their medicines. This gives a realistic insight into the pharmacist's role in the hospital setting.
"I find the opportunity to meet real-life people and discuss their medical-related problems and individual treatments a fascinating part of the MPharm degree."
Robert Flood, 2nd Year MPharm Student
As with all areas of pharmacy courses, hospital pharmacy is continually changing and progressing as the focus in the NHS becomes more patient-centred. The hospital pharmacist is very much a team member who works closely with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals all involved in patient care.
The first few years as a hospital pharmacist are a period of training that builds upon the foundations laid throughout the degree course. The basic-grade pharmacist rotates through all the areas of a hospital pharmacy - the dispensary, general and specialist wards, the manufacturing unit, medicines information - typically for one or two years. Promotion to higher grades follows quickly; this is when the pharmacist chooses an area of specialisation, such as working with adults or children, radiopharmacy, HIV, cancer, surgical, general medicine, education and training, etc. Hospital pharmacists who want to climb the NHS career ladder are expected to take on further training, such as postgraduate diploma courses or in-house management training programmes.
Community Pharmacy
Community pharmacy is by far the largest branch of the profession, where the professional work undertaken is the legal and ethical responsibility of the pharmacist on duty. The training for this begins at the very start of the MPharm degree, when students are introduced to law and ethics as part of everyday pharmacy.
"The great thing about community pharmacy is that it uniquely allows the pharmacist to apply the science we learn at uni to real people. In addition there are many opportunities to learn and use management skills."
Barry Shooter, Community Pharmacist, Barry Shooter Pharmacies.
The community pharmacist is one of the first ports of call for the public for medical advice or health care issues such as smoking cessation, family planning and weight loss. The pharmacist is also involved in providing medicines and advisory support to residential and nursing homes.
The duties of a community pharmacist are varied, to say the least. One of the main duties involves dispensing prescriptions written by a doctor. The pharmacist is required to ensure that the prescription is legal and the medicine requested by the doctor is appropriate for that patient (i.e. is the dosage correct, or could there be a drug interaction with a medicine the patient is already taking).
Another role involves screening for blood pressure or blood cholesterol measurements. Some pharmacies are involved in a "needle-exchange" scheme for drug addicts, who are able to exchange used injecting equipment for new ones, thus helping to protect drug addicts from various infections including HIV and Hepatitis B.
These are but a few of the roles undertaken by pharmacists who need to keep abreast of the latest medical and scientific developments in order to work to the highest possible standard.
Pharmaceutical Industry
The UK is home to a hugely successful pharmaceutical industry; GlaxoSmithKline is the second largest company on the London Stock Exchange, and Astra Zeneca in the top ten.
The pharmacist, with his/her broad-based education and training, can work in industry along with a team of other specialists - chemists, pharmacologists, biochemists, microbiologists and toxicologists - to discover new drugs and bring them to market. There are various routes into the pharmaceutical industry for pharmacists; the most typical is to complete a PhD and move into research and development (called R&D). The UK has a large number of small companies, often with just one or two products, offering immense opportunities for young research scientists.
Another area of opportunity is clinical trials, which is similar in nature to both community and hospital practice as the pharmacist works with both nursing and medical staff. Other areas include manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, marketing and medicines information.
Other Career Pathways
Pharmacists also work as pharmaceutical advisors within new Primary Care Groups. There they are concerned with the coordination and management of pharmaceutical services and help doctors achieve the most cost-effective use of medicines.
There are opportunities for pharmacists to work in academia, teaching and researching either in schools of pharmacy or related university science departments. Other possibilities include working for the government or the RPSGB, either in medicines licensing, pharmaceutical services policy or journal editing. Pharmacists can also work in the agriculture and veterinary sectors, where the range of work is similar to that for human medicines.
No matter which sector the pharmacist chooses for a career, the skills and scientific knowledge gained in the MPharm degree and other pharmacy courses are a foundation for a successful career. It is hard to imagine what exciting scientific developments the 21st century will bring, and pharmacists must be prepared for a profession that never stands still.
Studying one of the pharmacy courses in the UK means completing the four-year Master of Pharmacy degree. This is the only qualification that allows students, after a further year of paid pre-registration training and the registration exam, to register as a pharmacist with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSBG). The degree course covers a wide range of sciences: medicinal chemistry (the chemical design and synthesis of drugs), pharmacognosy (drugs that occur naturally - legal and illegal), pharmacology (the actions and uses of medicines and their effects on the body), biochemistry (the chemical processes in the body), pharmaceutics (formulating a drug into a medicine such as a tablet or capsule) and pharmacy practice (which includes dispensing, patient care, hospital visits, pharmacy law and ethics).
"Why study one science when pharmacy courses allow you to study more, right from the molecule to the patient."
Anabel Rodriguez, 3rd Year MPharm Student
The MPharm degree not only provides the necessary pharmaceutical and scientific knowledge, but also the skills to work as a professional member of the nation's health care team, whether it's discovering a new drug, going on ward rounds, liaising with other health care professionals to manage a patient's care, giving advice as part of a medicines information team or even marketing new medicines. The skills students develop over the four years - critical and rational thinking, problem solving, evaluation of research and teamwork - are of paramount importance in the workplace, where they are tested on a daily basis.
Hospital Pharmacy
Although the MPharm degree does not incorporate a clinical component in the same way medical and nursing degrees do, students do get exposure to areas of hospital pharmacy. They meet patients on the wards and are given the opportunity to interview them regarding their medicines. This gives a realistic insight into the pharmacist's role in the hospital setting.
"I find the opportunity to meet real-life people and discuss their medical-related problems and individual treatments a fascinating part of the MPharm degree."
Robert Flood, 2nd Year MPharm Student
As with all areas of pharmacy courses, hospital pharmacy is continually changing and progressing as the focus in the NHS becomes more patient-centred. The hospital pharmacist is very much a team member who works closely with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals all involved in patient care.
The first few years as a hospital pharmacist are a period of training that builds upon the foundations laid throughout the degree course. The basic-grade pharmacist rotates through all the areas of a hospital pharmacy - the dispensary, general and specialist wards, the manufacturing unit, medicines information - typically for one or two years. Promotion to higher grades follows quickly; this is when the pharmacist chooses an area of specialisation, such as working with adults or children, radiopharmacy, HIV, cancer, surgical, general medicine, education and training, etc. Hospital pharmacists who want to climb the NHS career ladder are expected to take on further training, such as postgraduate diploma courses or in-house management training programmes.
Community Pharmacy
Community pharmacy is by far the largest branch of the profession, where the professional work undertaken is the legal and ethical responsibility of the pharmacist on duty. The training for this begins at the very start of the MPharm degree, when students are introduced to law and ethics as part of everyday pharmacy.
"The great thing about community pharmacy is that it uniquely allows the pharmacist to apply the science we learn at uni to real people. In addition there are many opportunities to learn and use management skills."
Barry Shooter, Community Pharmacist, Barry Shooter Pharmacies.
The community pharmacist is one of the first ports of call for the public for medical advice or health care issues such as smoking cessation, family planning and weight loss. The pharmacist is also involved in providing medicines and advisory support to residential and nursing homes.
The duties of a community pharmacist are varied, to say the least. One of the main duties involves dispensing prescriptions written by a doctor. The pharmacist is required to ensure that the prescription is legal and the medicine requested by the doctor is appropriate for that patient (i.e. is the dosage correct, or could there be a drug interaction with a medicine the patient is already taking).
Another role involves screening for blood pressure or blood cholesterol measurements. Some pharmacies are involved in a "needle-exchange" scheme for drug addicts, who are able to exchange used injecting equipment for new ones, thus helping to protect drug addicts from various infections including HIV and Hepatitis B.
These are but a few of the roles undertaken by pharmacists who need to keep abreast of the latest medical and scientific developments in order to work to the highest possible standard.
Pharmaceutical Industry
The UK is home to a hugely successful pharmaceutical industry; GlaxoSmithKline is the second largest company on the London Stock Exchange, and Astra Zeneca in the top ten.
The pharmacist, with his/her broad-based education and training, can work in industry along with a team of other specialists - chemists, pharmacologists, biochemists, microbiologists and toxicologists - to discover new drugs and bring them to market. There are various routes into the pharmaceutical industry for pharmacists; the most typical is to complete a PhD and move into research and development (called R&D). The UK has a large number of small companies, often with just one or two products, offering immense opportunities for young research scientists.
Another area of opportunity is clinical trials, which is similar in nature to both community and hospital practice as the pharmacist works with both nursing and medical staff. Other areas include manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, marketing and medicines information.
Other Career Pathways
Pharmacists also work as pharmaceutical advisors within new Primary Care Groups. There they are concerned with the coordination and management of pharmaceutical services and help doctors achieve the most cost-effective use of medicines.
There are opportunities for pharmacists to work in academia, teaching and researching either in schools of pharmacy or related university science departments. Other possibilities include working for the government or the RPSGB, either in medicines licensing, pharmaceutical services policy or journal editing. Pharmacists can also work in the agriculture and veterinary sectors, where the range of work is similar to that for human medicines.
No matter which sector the pharmacist chooses for a career, the skills and scientific knowledge gained in the MPharm degree and other pharmacy courses are a foundation for a successful career. It is hard to imagine what exciting scientific developments the 21st century will bring, and pharmacists must be prepared for a profession that never stands still.
Monday, 23 November 2009
Latest news
British Pharmacopoeia 2010
The BP 2010 is now available, effective from 1st January 2010. It is available in hardcopy, CD-ROM, eBook or online versions. The publication package can be purchased from The Stationary Office TSO
New for the BP 2010
■40 New formulated preparation monographs
■Additional standards for widely used unlicensed formulations
■European Pharmacopoeia 6th Edition material up to and including Supplement 6.5
■Three free in-year updates for the BP 2010 online to harmonise with the European Pharmacopoeia
■Availability of Single Monographs. For further details contact TSO
Updates to the British Pharmacopoeia Website
Draft new monographs for:
■ Etidronate Tablets
■Iopamidol Injection
■Iopamidol Oral Solution
■Oxybutynin Oral Solution
■Perindopril Tablets
■Sertraline TabletsDraft revised monographs for:
■Enalapril Tablets
■Oxybutynin Tablets
New images to complement the BP 2010:
■Guidance herbal TLC chromatograms
■Guidance LC chromatogramsRevised list of initiated monographs.
Technical and editorial details of revisions made to monographs in the BP 2010.
FAQ's updated.
British Pharmacopoeia Commission Annual Report 2008
The activities of the BPC are reported annually as part of the Medicines Act 1968 Advisory Bodies Annual Reports.
Notice
The Ph. Eur. Monograph for Quinine Sulphate published in the BP 2009 is not correct.
* The current monograph has been posted in the on-line version of the BP 2009.
* The hard copy text will be corrected by means of the BP 2010.
Users of the BP may wish to note that Part I of the General Notices in the BP 2009 states that Ph Eur monographs are reproduced in the BP for the convenience of users and in cases of doubt or dispute reference should be made to the Council of Europe text.
The BP 2010 is now available, effective from 1st January 2010. It is available in hardcopy, CD-ROM, eBook or online versions. The publication package can be purchased from The Stationary Office TSO
New for the BP 2010
■40 New formulated preparation monographs
■Additional standards for widely used unlicensed formulations
■European Pharmacopoeia 6th Edition material up to and including Supplement 6.5
■Three free in-year updates for the BP 2010 online to harmonise with the European Pharmacopoeia
■Availability of Single Monographs. For further details contact TSO
Updates to the British Pharmacopoeia Website
Draft new monographs for:
■ Etidronate Tablets
■Iopamidol Injection
■Iopamidol Oral Solution
■Oxybutynin Oral Solution
■Perindopril Tablets
■Sertraline TabletsDraft revised monographs for:
■Enalapril Tablets
■Oxybutynin Tablets
New images to complement the BP 2010:
■Guidance herbal TLC chromatograms
■Guidance LC chromatogramsRevised list of initiated monographs.
Technical and editorial details of revisions made to monographs in the BP 2010.
FAQ's updated.
British Pharmacopoeia Commission Annual Report 2008
The activities of the BPC are reported annually as part of the Medicines Act 1968 Advisory Bodies Annual Reports.
Notice
The Ph. Eur. Monograph for Quinine Sulphate published in the BP 2009 is not correct.
* The current monograph has been posted in the on-line version of the BP 2009.
* The hard copy text will be corrected by means of the BP 2010.
Users of the BP may wish to note that Part I of the General Notices in the BP 2009 states that Ph Eur monographs are reproduced in the BP for the convenience of users and in cases of doubt or dispute reference should be made to the Council of Europe text.
About BP 2010
About BP 2010
Setting the standard for compliance across the globe
The British Pharmacopoeia (BP) is the official collection of standards for UK medicinal products and pharmaceutical substances. Produced by the British Pharmacopoeia Commission Secretariat, part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the BP makes an important contribution to public health by setting publicly available standards for the quality of medicines.
Since 1864, the BP has been providing authoritative standards for pharmaceutical substances and it continues to play an important role in the standard-setting process worldwide. Now used in almost 100 countries, the BP remains an essential reference for all individuals and organisations working within pharmaceutical research and development, manufacture and testing around the world.
Updated annually, the BP 2010 contains monographs of pharmaceutical substances, formulated preparations and other articles used in the practice of medicine. Clearly laid out sections include monographs, which set out the mandatory standards for active substances, excipients, formulated preparations, blood-related products, immunological products, radiopharmaceutical preparations, surgical materials, herbal and complementary medicines, together with supporting General Notices, test methods, infrared spectra and supplementary information.
The BP 2010 is available in a variety of formats designed to be flexible to suit the needs and requirements of your organisation:
In print
•Five volume printed edition
•Single-user licence for the CD-ROM
•Single-user licence for the online edition via www.pharmacopoeia.co.uk
•Three free in-year updates to the content of the online version
•£830
•ISBN 9780113228287.
CD-ROM
The BP 2010 CD-ROM enables you to install fully the complete text of the BP, together with its search and linking functionality, directly onto your laptop or PC.
Once installed and activated, the 2010 version enables you to access the content of the BP without inserting the CD-ROM, providing complete portability if used on a laptop, without requiring internet access.
Online
www.pharmacopoeia.co.uk is an integral part of the BP package, enabling access to the full text of the BP 2010. New to the BP 2010 Online are three in-year updates to harmonise with the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia. These updates are available free, as part of your online package in January, April and July 2010.
Advanced search features include an A-Z listing on monographs and articles, inclusion of ‘did you mean?’ and other close matches and a personalised ‘My BP’ area making searching for the information you use regularly easier and more efficient.
eBook
Enables you to access the full five volume set of the BP on your PDA or any other compatible device.
•Exclusively available to BP 2010 print customers
•£398 (£457.70 inc VAT)
•ISBN 9780113228461.
Setting the standard for compliance across the globe
The British Pharmacopoeia (BP) is the official collection of standards for UK medicinal products and pharmaceutical substances. Produced by the British Pharmacopoeia Commission Secretariat, part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the BP makes an important contribution to public health by setting publicly available standards for the quality of medicines.
Since 1864, the BP has been providing authoritative standards for pharmaceutical substances and it continues to play an important role in the standard-setting process worldwide. Now used in almost 100 countries, the BP remains an essential reference for all individuals and organisations working within pharmaceutical research and development, manufacture and testing around the world.
Updated annually, the BP 2010 contains monographs of pharmaceutical substances, formulated preparations and other articles used in the practice of medicine. Clearly laid out sections include monographs, which set out the mandatory standards for active substances, excipients, formulated preparations, blood-related products, immunological products, radiopharmaceutical preparations, surgical materials, herbal and complementary medicines, together with supporting General Notices, test methods, infrared spectra and supplementary information.
The BP 2010 is available in a variety of formats designed to be flexible to suit the needs and requirements of your organisation:
In print
•Five volume printed edition
•Single-user licence for the CD-ROM
•Single-user licence for the online edition via www.pharmacopoeia.co.uk
•Three free in-year updates to the content of the online version
•£830
•ISBN 9780113228287.
CD-ROM
The BP 2010 CD-ROM enables you to install fully the complete text of the BP, together with its search and linking functionality, directly onto your laptop or PC.
Once installed and activated, the 2010 version enables you to access the content of the BP without inserting the CD-ROM, providing complete portability if used on a laptop, without requiring internet access.
Online
www.pharmacopoeia.co.uk is an integral part of the BP package, enabling access to the full text of the BP 2010. New to the BP 2010 Online are three in-year updates to harmonise with the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia. These updates are available free, as part of your online package in January, April and July 2010.
Advanced search features include an A-Z listing on monographs and articles, inclusion of ‘did you mean?’ and other close matches and a personalised ‘My BP’ area making searching for the information you use regularly easier and more efficient.
eBook
Enables you to access the full five volume set of the BP on your PDA or any other compatible device.
•Exclusively available to BP 2010 print customers
•£398 (£457.70 inc VAT)
•ISBN 9780113228461.
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