Authored article by Mr. Deepesh Upadhyay, Asst. Vice President, Delair India Pvt. Ltd.
The announcement by the government to reduce the cost of 41 commonly used medicines comes as a positive step towards improving the accessibility of medicines. This puts incessant pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to achieve the dual task of curtailing the cost of medicines while not compromising on quality at the same time.
To achieve this purpose, the industry should focus on implementing quality manufacturing practices to avoid any loss due to the revocation of substandard drugs. Manufacturers should ensure the production of superior-quality medicines that comply with the highest industry standards outlined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the process, industry should eliminate factors responsible for degrading the quality of drugs. Considering that moisture in compressed air can culminate in the production of inferior-quality medicines, ensuring the purity of compressed air can aid in preserving the integrity of the medicines.
Compressed air is required for various pneumatic operations ranging from mixing, granulation, drying, pressing, coating, and packaging processes. It finds application in giving the right colour, texture, and flavor to the tablets and capsules. At the same time, compressed air comes in handy for mixing powder and producing granules for enabling tablet pressing, coating, and encapsulation. Along with this, it brings about an accurate balance of the ingredients and ensures precision in the measurement of each formula in liquid medicine.
In case moisture is present in the pressurized air, it can cause disruption of tablet compression and tablet coating processes. Understanding that various materials used in the medicines are hygroscopic in nature, moisture can interfere with the entire tableting process, arising from the lumping and caking of powder. This necessitates the compression of powdered materials into tablets under high pressure, which is carried out in a completely dry state. Furthermore, by leading to decomposition, it compromises the medicinal value of the drugs.
When spray coating the tablets, moisture in compressed air results in a change of colour, smell, and taste in the medicine. Giving rise to blisters, moisture can account for the breakage of tablets; likewise, causing uneven coating it is responsible for the revocation of medicine from the market. Beyond medicines, moisture can also cause the breakdown of pneumatic tools and machines required for the manufacturing of drugs. It initiates corrosion in pipes, pneumatic operated cylinders, zig & fixtures and other components, preventing the completion of processes. Where pneumatic valves and cylinders function inconsistently and sluggishly due to corrosion, moisture, on the other hand, gives rise to freezing issues in equipment during the winter.
Looking at the side effects of moisture, the pharmaceutical industry should focus on providing quality compressed air, free from contaminants, for the manufacturing of medicines. Elimination of moisture/water, oil vapors, dust particles, or any form of solid contaminants can be done by deploying efficient and reliable compressed air dryers. It comes with the ability to efficiently treat compressed air, which bodes well for the seamless completion of the pneumatic processes.
By deploying desiccant-based drying technology, the dryers achieve an optimal atmospheric dew point temperature range of (-40°C) to (-70°C) max. The desiccant operates on the pressure swing/ purge air principle, effectively regenerating the desiccant bed through the adsorption and desorption of water vapor.
Therefore, implementing quality manufacturing practices with the help of quality compressed air can go a long way in reducing the cost of medicines. Coming to aid in enhancing efficiency and minimizing waste, it plays a pivotal role in bringing down the production costs of medicine. At the same time, by protecting the pneumatic equipment from malfunctioning, it saves the company a huge repair or replacement cost.
