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Tales from the Pharma Front: Fighting through Low Morale and Lousy Bosses

pharmamanufacturing — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:40:36 -0800

I spoke by phone this morning with "Mike," a long-time pharma professional who's at a crossroads in his career. Like many in the industry, Mike sees the overall economy improving and his company, a growing biopharma, doing the right things to move ahead. And yet, for the most part, he's stuck.

More Mid-sized Companies are Embracing Offshoring/Outsourcing, Survey Says

pharmamanufacturing — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:53 -0800

As President Obama has begun his Insourcing campaign, designed to bring more manufacturing jobs back onshore, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business released results of its latest survey of offshoring and outsourcing practices. Companies that have moved processes offshore say they have gained in flexibility and agility, and the ability to compete in challenging economic environments, Duke says.

For Pharma, Who Will Be the Kane Waselenchuks of Tomorrow?

pharmamanufacturing — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:59:26 -0800

Kane Waselenchuk is far and away the best racquetball player in the world, once winning a staggering 137 straight matches. He has won seven U.S. Open Racquetball Championships and is still at the peak of his game.

Putting a Price Tag on Noncompliance

pharmamanufacturing — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:47:41 -0800

A survey that came out late last year attempted to put an actual figure on the cost of pharma quality problems. Should make it easier for some of you to get funding for those QbD/PAT/process control projects. We hope. For more, read on.

AMS

Why Pharma Often Fails at Root Cause Analysis and CAPA

pharmamanufacturing — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:59:48 -0800

Are Pharma Manufacturing Workers Burned Out or Bouncing Back in 2012?

pharmamanufacturing — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:10:34 -0800

Every year we at Pharmaceutical Manufacturing conduct a Job Satisfaction and Salary Survey. This year marks our eighth year, and we would love your input if you’re employed in the pharma/biopharma industry. It’s important to note that this survey isn’t just about quantitative data.

Chemistry Is the Past, Mike. We Are the Future

pharmamanufacturing — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:26:17 -0800

If you haven’t been exposed to “xtranormal” yet, the video below is a good introduction. Xtranormal allows you to create virtual conversations between characters you create. Here, Mike is a chemist in his first day on the job at a major pharma company, while Heidi is charged with his orientation. As you’ll see, life in Big Pharma is not all that Mike had thought it would be.

A Dozen Discussions: Favorite Interviews from 2011

pharmamanufacturing — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:03:18 -0800

We at Pharmaceutical Manufacturing are always speaking with industry experts and insiders, picking their brains about issues that truly matter to the industry. Below are 12 of my favorite interviews from last year—in case you missed them the first time around. Enjoy.

What Can Pharma Expect in 2012? The Glass is Half Full (and Half Empty)

pharmamanufacturing — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:29:21 -0800

Opinions are like noses . . . everybody's got one. (That's the polite version of the maxim, of course.) Never has this been more true than about what to expect in pharma and the life sciences for 2012. We've been trolling the blogs and media outlets, and here is what 13 "experts" are saying about the coming year:

The Ten Best Pharma Quotes of 2011: The CEO Edition

pharmamanufacturing — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:42:52 -0800

Last week, we unveiled our Ten Best Pharma Quotes of the Year. Here below is our special CEO Edition, with the ten best quips from, and about, drug company CEOs this year.