Pharmaceutical Engineers from Around the World Gather in San Diego for ISPE Meeting, November 8-11

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Reported by Annette Kreuger, Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--More than 2,000 pharmaceutical engineering professionals and associated industry insiders are expected to be in San Diego November 8-11 for the annual meeting of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE) (Tampa, Florida). The very appropriate theme of this year's event is "Thriving in a Survival Environment."

In a letter to members, Chair of ISPE International Board of Directors Dr. Charles Hoiberg said, "Year after year, ISPE builds upon its primary goal to provide tools and to share knowledge across silos to help our industry be more streamlined and efficient (lean/mean/green). Best practices come directly from ISPE members and nonmembers working in the field each day, and ISPE continues to maintain a strong base of input and influence incremental industry changes despite challenges that may arise in our global economies."

Every day, millions of people take prescription drugs with little or no thought of how these drugs arrived in their medicine cabinets. ISPE members work diligently to ensure that medicines reach consumers in the most efficient and secure manner possible.

Some of the industry's best and brightest from 30 countries will have access to nine educational tracks to address today's myriad challenges and offer solutions regarding the best ways to deliver products and services today and in the years to come.

This year's nine specific educational session tracks are as follows:

• Facilities and Equipment: design and construction/installation; commissioning and qualification as a risk management strategy; operation and maintenance; controls and automation
• Information Systems: for information systems and information technology engineers, validation/qualification managers, and quality assurance professionals
• Investigational Products: educational topics that address challenges that industry professionals face in their day-to-day lives, as well as emerging or strategic topics important for managers and decision-makers
• Product Development: formulation, clinical phases, and manufacture; technology transfer; production scale-up and optimization
• Production Systems: production unit operations for drug (small molecule) and biologics; production management; production control
• Project Management: two distinct, large-scale capital projects will be featured through six highly-interactive sessions
• Quality Systems: risk management and quality management system; systems validation
• Regulatory Compliance: government regulations; standards, practices, and guides
• Supply Chain Management: materials management; operational economics; warehouse and distribution management

Two additional tracks under the headings of "Supplier-Focused" and "Survival" have been added, acknowledging the importance of suppliers and overcoming the special challenges currently facing the industry.

A major highlight of the ISPE annual meeting will be the announcement of the 2009 Facility of the Year winner from this year's six category winners. The Facility of the Year competition recognizes state-of-the-art pharmaceutical-manufacturing projects that utilize new and innovative technologies to enhance the delivery of a quality product, as well as reducing the cost of producing high-quality medicines. An independent, blue-ribbon judging panel of global representatives from the pharmaceutical design, construction and manufacturing sectors will decide the winner of this prestigious award.

Industrial Info Resources will be on location in San Diego throughout the week, offering daily reports on key industry events, news and emerging trends.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy related markets. For more than 26 years, Industrial Info has provided plant and project opportunity databases, market forecasts, high resolution maps, and daily industry news.