We are nearing the end of the Summer Series. Today, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the Quality Department, having previously visited the Enquiries & Product Development, Procurement, Solid Production, Liquid Production and Solid Packaging departments. Next week, our Logistics Department will bring the series to a close, bringing us full circle. But not before we’ve discussed an important core value of DuSart: alongside our ‘Dedicated to Service’ promise, ensuring quality is a second common thread running through all departments.
Who are we?
The quality team consists of two separate departments: Quality Assurance and Quality Control. These departments focus on a wide range of quality-related activities within DuSart Pharma. ‘Dedicated to Service’ is also a motto that is very much in evidence within our department every day. We go that extra mile for our customers. For example, we are always on hand to answer questions and offer advice. This includes advice on packaging materials, choice of raw materials, label texts and dosage forms. We work closely with the account managers and the Production department to ensure the end product is a success.
What do we do?
The Quality Assurance team is responsible for:
- Checking raw materials against legislation and regulations. This includes verifying whether their use is permitted, controlling contaminants and assessing the extent to which they can be processed into the final product.
- Drawing up the formulation for the selected composition, following the customer’s approval, for the Production Department.
- Maintaining the quality policy. We are FSSC 22000 certified for the Solids and Packaging departments and operate in accordance with GMP standards for the Liquids department.
The other team within the Quality Department is Quality Control, which includes the quality laboratory. The Quality Control team is responsible for:
- Bulk checks. Before a liquid or tablet/capsule is packaged as a finished product, the laboratory checks that everything meets the specifications.
- Inspection of incoming goods. The laboratory checks everything required for the end product. The inspection focuses on:
o Raw materials. Here, we test the quality using various analyses, for example via infrared spectroscopy or thin-layer chromatography.
o Packaging materials. We always check these against an approved reference sample received from our supplier or customer.
Kim from the Quality Department: “What makes working in the quality laboratory so enjoyable is that no two days are the same. You see just about everything that’s needed for production pass through here. What we’re working on varies from day to day. One day we might be running DLC tests all day, whilst the next we might be checking labels that have just arrived. You name it, and it’s passed through the laboratory. We have a very important responsibility as the Quality department: only once we’ve given the green light can the production process begin and the final product be sent to the customer. That responsibility, and the constant quest for even better quality in our products, makes our work all the more enjoyable!”
