| By Daisy Zhang, Asia Manufacturing Pharma |
| Monday, 16 June 2008 |
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The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) of China recently implemented a stringent procedure across the country to assess suppliers of primary pharmaceutical packaging. |
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A series of tests and inspections for raw materials and manufacturing processes will be conducted prior to making the pharmaceutical packaging available in the marketplace. Industry analysts note that the country’s drug regulatory agency is seeking to improve the quality of pharmaceutical packaging by putting in place high quality standards.
The policy has also received an enthusiastic response from foreign-owned manufacturers of pharmaceutical packaging. |
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“It is expected to promote the healthy, sustainable development of China’s pharmaceutical packaging market,” they said.
“The policy is good news for players in the pharmaceutical market,” said Bernhard Elsener, vice president of global sales and marketing at Schott Pharmaceutical Packaging. High-quality pharmaceutical packaging protects the content from damage, while delivering enhanced convenience for storage of pharmaceutical products, Elsener added. Germany-based Schott’s pharmaceutical packaging plant in Suzhou has received formal authorization from the SFDA to manufacture and supply vials and ampoules for customers in China’s pharmaceutical sector.
The new plant is affiliated to Schott Glass Technologies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, which was established in 2002. |
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According to Elsener, the Suzhou plant uses the quality “Fiolax” Type I borosilicate glass, which is in compliance with a variety of international standards including United States Pharmacopeia, European Pharmacopoeia and Japanese Pharmacopoeia.
Elsener pointed out the GMP-compliant Suzhou plant features state-of-the-art production facilities, visible monitoring systems and professional clean rooms, adding that expansion by foreign companies into China’s pharmaceutical packaging market will bring in the world’s leading research and development expertise and rich experience in manufacturing, boosting the growth of the country’s high-end pharmaceutical packaging segment. |
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