Benefits Of Automated Sample Preparations In The Pharmaceutical Lab For Content Uniformity And Assay Testing

By: Dale VonBehren, Sotax Corporation

Automation brings many images to mind, including large robots bolting car doors on in seconds and the mesmerizing packaging machinery most pharmaceutical companies employ. In the pharmaceutical laboratory, with its various types of automated instruments, some automated devices have become ubiquitous. For example, the auto-injector on a high-performance liquid chromatography system is a tool that most consider indispensable. Fully automated sample preparation and dissolution analysis are common, but their perceived benefits-the ones that justify their purchase-are primarily confined to labor savings. This article will explore additional ways in which laboratory automation can pay off in a big way.

The benefits of automating analytical methods used in the pharmaceutical industry commonly include reduced analytical labor. There are other benefits that may be less tangible, however, such as improved analytical quality. In this article, these benefits are presented in terms of whether they offer tactical value or strategic value. Tactical improvements are those that realize a localized benefit that, once implemented, is static. Strategic benefits are far-reaching and can help the organization meet corporate objectives.