Before going to discuss the role of dispensing Pharmacists first have a look over who is dispensing Pharmacists
Dispensing Pharmacist
As the name indicates, the dispensing pharmacist is a qualified person having a Doctor of Pharmacy degree & is involved in performing the activities of dispensing.
As we are discussing the role of dispensing pharmacists in pharmaceutical industries, the qualified person who dispenses active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients for a batch manufacturing according to the manufacturing order or dispensing order is known as dispensing Pharmacist.
What Is Manufacturing Order?
A manufacturing order or dispensing order is the approved document that contains information regarding the excipients & API for a specific batch.
All the required quantities are mentioned on dispensing order or manufacturing order, this document is generated by the planning department & is sent to the raw materials store for dispensing.
The store pharmacist also known as dispensing pharmacist weighs all the ingredients one by one according to the manufacturing Order.
Duties / Role Of Dispensing Pharmacist
The dispensing Pharmacist is responsible to make sure that all the required excipients & APIs are available in the raw material store for dispensing.
The stock is properly stored in the raw material store according to the rack plan.
Dispensing Pharmacist or raw material store pharmacist is also responsible to make sure that the temperature & humidity of the area is according to the SOP.
The dispensing booth temperature & humidity is under control.
The weighing balances in the dispensing booth and raw material store are calibrated.
The differential pressure of the dispensing booth is according to the SOP to prevent cross-contamination.
The materials which require cold storage conditions are properly stored in the cold room & temperature of the room is properly maintained.
When the dispensing order is received by the dispensing Pharmacist, he checks that all the materials are available for dispensing according to the lot numbers mentioned on the dispensing order.
After ensuring that all the required materials are available, he allows them to start preparations for dispensing.
The dispensing labels for each material are printed according to the dispensing order & are attached to the polythene bags in which materials are dispensed.
The dispensing Pharmacist calls a quality assurance pharmacist for line clearance to start the dispensing process.
Before line clearance dispensing pharmacists make sure that all the materials required for dispensing are placed in the pre-dispensing area.
Dispensing pharmacist first verifies all the lots according to the manufacturing order & then the quality assurance inspector verifies it.
After line clearance, the dispensing pharmacist & QA pharmacist stand in a dispensing booth where materials are to be dispensed.
The trained operators bring a single container to the dispensing booth & this container is checked by the dispensing Pharmacist.
Dispensing pharmacist makes sure that the name on bulk containers is the same as mentioned on dispensing order and he also checks the following information on the containers,
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Lot Numbers
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Material Name
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Vendor Name
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Re-Test Date
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Expiry Date
After checking all the above-mentioned information the operator weighs the material and the weight is checked by the dispensing pharmacist and cross-checked by the quality assurance pharmacist.
In the same way, all the materials mentioned on the manufacturing order or dispensing order are dispensed one by one.
The dispensing pharmacist makes sure that after dispensing, the polythene bags are placed in storage containers.
Dispensing pharmacist is also responsible to maintain the staging area or storage area for dispensed batches.
The dispensing pharmacist stores the dispensed batches in the staging area.
Dispensing pharmacists is also responsible to deliver the dispensed batch to the production department.
Dispensing Pharmacist or store pharmacist is also responsible to conduct various internal & external audits.
Dispensing pharmacist is also responsible for the physical checking of stock quantity after a specified period.
Dispensing Pharmacist is also responsible to prepare different SOPs of the raw material store.
Dispensing pharmacist is also responsible to prepare different standard cleaning procedures.
Also, Read
Duties Of Pharmacist In Tablet Section