Manufacture of a medicine involves many stages from chemical synthesis of the drug substance through production of the dosage form, quality control, packaging and distribution.

Quality assurance including so-called ‘Good Manufacturing Practice’ is vital at all stages and the pharmacy training is very relevant to this area.

A significant number of pharmacists in industry go on to achieve the status of ‘Qualified Person’ – the individual required by law in every pharmaceutical company within the EU to be responsible for approving every batch of medicine before it may be released to the market. Large companies may employ more than one ‘QP’ and a QP may also originally be qualified as a chemist, biologist, vet. or medical doctor. The QP is frequently the key liaison link between the company and the regulatory inspectorate.