PDM College of Pharmacy organized industrial/educational tour to
Nasik and Mumbai for B. Pharmacy final year students from 9th to 14th
February 2015. During a weeklong tour, students visited two leading
Pharmaceutical industries producing variety of Pharmaceutical Products. A
team of 20 members including 18 students accompanied with two faculty
members had been for the industrial tour.
Bluecross Laboratories Ltd, Nasik plant was the first industry to
which PDMCOP team paid their visit. Bluecross Laboratories Ltd, widely
known for its popular brands Tus-Q and Meftal-Spas is a FDA,WHO approved
organization with pharmaceutical products covering major therapeutic
segments like Antibacterials, Pain Management, Antispasmodics, Cough
& Cold Preparations along with medicines for Cardiac ailments,
Diabetes, Dermatologicals, Anti-ulcerants, Antipyretics etc. in
different dosage forms.
On arrival at industry, the General Manager of the company welcomed
the students and advised some basic precautions before entering the
production area. After his short session, Quality Control manager of the
plant Mr. S. B. Digholkar gave a presentation on overall production
cycle of any pharmaceutical products right from raw
material purchase to marketing of finished products. During his
interaction, he discussed about considerations to be made during
purchase of raw materials, their storage, dispensing, production
considerations, in-process quality control, labeling, packaging and
distribution. He also made a mention of importance of contamination
reduction and ways the industry is using to reduce contamination. After
his presentation he escorted students to the production area. Before
entering production area, students were asked to wear apron, mask, shoe
cover and head cover so that no contamination enters the production
area. Students got an opportunity to witness the production of syrup,
its filling, labeling and packing. The whole process and functioning of
the machinery was described by Mr. S. B. Digholkar. He explained about
the powder granulation and tableting machine which is used for the
production of tablets. This hands on exposure helped students to gain
real time knowledge of what they have been learning theoretically in
their books. Before leaving the company, students took some group photos
along with company managers.
After reaching Mumbai, students paid a visit to another industry;
Kilitch Drugs (India) Ltd. The Principal of PDMCOP joined the students
at Mumbai to visit the Pharmaceutical unit and hold technical
discussions with them. Kilitch Drugs (India) Ltd, is one of the largest
manufacturers of antibacterial parenteral formulations with most of its
products being exported to South Africa. It is also one of the producers
of Sterile Liquid formulations in small volumes in India. Their plant
in TTC Industrial area, Mumbai has facility for production of
solid/powder and liquid injectables.
General Manager of the company Mr. K. M. Yajurvedi and QC Manager
Mrs. Archana welcomed the students and faculty of PDMCOP and offered
short briefing and some snacks. The whole team of students was divided
into two and was then escorted to their production area. During the
round of their production area, they explained every minute details of
their facility right from floor moping to maintaining sterility of their
products. They did not hesitate to answer the queries of the students
and faculty members. Students were lucky enough to witness the overall
production cycle of liquid injectables starting from storage and
quarantine area to packaging and distribution area. In between, the
students got to see the washing of vials, equipment used for sterility
maintenance, filling, sealing and labeling of vials and blister packing
of products. The visit concluded after an interaction with company’s
General Manager and QC manager about career prospects in pharmaceutical
industry. They wished bright future to students and suggested to keep
doing hard work so that success will take care itself.