By: John Lyons, Senior Process Engineer

I’ve been wondering what to think of Pharma 4.0.

Is it a buzzword to help push new, but not much improved, equipment and systems into the industry?

Or is it more substantial?

Ultimately, I think the moniker and what it represents carries significant weight as it places what is possible to the forefront of our industry in an unprecedented manner. An industry which is not particularly known for pushing the cutting edge of manufacturing technology. While many fields stretched the limits of what we defined as Industry 3.0 to something closer to Industry 3.9, there are still many operations living in regulatory contentment and technological antiquity.

As a computer engineer by schooling, Pharma 4.0 is exciting not only for its raw technology, but also the opportunity to provide a completely new framework for how we approach manufacturing design and implementation. Change in a regulated environment will not be quick but as in life, is inevitable.

The question to each of us now is – Will you embrace it? A strategic review of opportunities presented by Pharma 4.0 technologies against existing values and objectives guiding today’s business can create an exciting vision for the future. This will ultimately lead to better service and care to patients by invigorating teams that both execute projects and run facilities.