The pharmaceutical industry is one of the foremost industry that leads the way to research and development, and with the numerous researches being undertaken in order to help combat diseases, not to mention their role in the field of biotechnology makes this industry in the forefront of every innovation.
Such innovation is not only anchored in the development of medicines, vaccines and other biotechnology products but also focused on utilizing modern technology to make processes faster and accurate. Among these modern technologies which are essential to the pharmaceutical industry is the electronic batch record and the electronic resource planning system.
Batch Record
To fully understand what an electronic batch record is, it is important to first identify the meaning of a batch record. A batch record is a record used by pharmacists where they put in the information for the manufacturing process of certain products. Because every medicine needs to be formulated with accuracy to maintain its potency.
The batch record will contain sensitive information about the ingredients, measurements and the process of making the medication/ Before the advent of modern technology, the pharmaceutical companies have recorded this information on a paper form. Through the years, as research and development started piling up these batch records, it became too difficult for them to store, manage and retrieve these records. A problem that has been robbing time from employees and the pharmaceutical companies.
The Electronic Batch Record
The electronic batch records solve the problems that come from using the traditional batch records. It functions similarly with the batch records but with the ability to start, manage and complete the manufacturing process according to the electronic batch records. The EBR will keep the records electronically and create the necessary documents as required by any government body. Using the EBR will greatly reduce the risk of running into inaccuracies which might be fatal if left unchecked.
The EBR is also most helpful in conducting real-time performance monitoring. This way every part of the manufacturing process are always on top condition and problems will easily be detected and remedied before it gets to an uncontrollable level. Finally, one of the most important roles of the EBR is its ability to gather, store and process data. By giving the laboratory personnel accurate and timely data, they can make an informed decision and implement a solution whenever the company faces difficulties and challenges in manufacturing.
Role of EBR to ERP
The Enterprise Resource Planning system or ERP is a software that helps with the back office processes in any business. The Electronic Batch Record was developed to be readily integrated with other software. One such software is the ERP. The role of the EBR to the ERP and vice versa is a mutual relationship. This is because these systems complement each other.
With the EBR focused on the record keeping of the process and measurements needed in the making of the medication and the ERP is responsible for the different business process, combining them will form a complete system that does not only focus on the operations but also on the different back-office activities like marketing and financials.