Top 5 Benefits of Humidity Control in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Uncontrolled humidity for pharmaceutical products is bad news that can affect their shelf life, making them less effective and unsafe for use. Humidity control in the pharma industry is a must, and here are the benefits of proper implementation.
Key Takeaways:
- The World Health Organization emphasizes monitoring humidity in the pharmaceutical industry at every stage to ensure safety and quality.
- An inappropriate humidity level can lead to reduced product quality, shorter shelf life, and many more.
- The importance of humidity control includes improved product quality, compliance, lowered costs, improved working conditions, and more.
The pharmaceutical industry deals with some of the most sensitive products, and even the slightest mistake during product manufacture and storage could affect quality, effectiveness, and safety.
For this reason, the pharmaceutical industry must implement stringent temperature and humidity control measures to avert some of these potential issues. This article will explore the importance of humidity control in the pharmaceutical sector alongside the dangers of failing to act right.
Effects of inadequate humidity control in the pharmaceutical industry
Inadequate humidity control in the pharmaceutical industry can lead to several issues. It can cause drugs to degrade or lose potency, leading to reduced effectiveness and potentially harmful side effects. Here are some of the most notable impacts of uncontrolled humidity on pharmaceuticals in detail.
-Degradation of active ingredients
Storing pharmaceuticals in high-humidity environments can cause them to absorb too much moisture, leading to degradation and even toxicity of active ingredients. Conversely, low humidity levels in the storage facilities could lead to the accumulation of static charges in the medication, which could cause solid and powdered medications to dry out, stick together or crumble.
-Reduced shelf life
One of the most notable effects of uncontrolled humidity on pharmaceuticals is reduced shelf life. Some medications deteriorate more quickly when exposed to high humidity conditions, leading to shorter shelf life. This can cause substantial losses in wastage and stock replenishment.
-Disruption of the manufacturing process
Uncontrolled humidity can cause issues in the manufacturing process, including the presence of particulate matter in powders and the formation of bubbles in injectable solutions. The result is inconsistencies in product quality, which, if not handled in-house, could lead to product recalls.
-Compliance issues
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most regulated sectors, and everything from manufacturing, storage, and transportation of pharmaceutical products must follow stringent compliance regulations.
Although facilities still tailor temperature and humidity conditions around their products, they must also follow set guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines can lead to non-compliance, which attracts enormous penalties, and in worse-case scenarios, facility closure.
The importance of humidity control in the pharmaceutical industry
Considering the implications of not managing moisture levels in manufacturing and storage facilities in the significant pharma sector, it pays to have a humidity monitoring system. Here are several ways the pharmaceutical industry can benefit from humidity control systems.
1. Preservation of product integrity
Proper humidity control can prevent moisture-related issues, like products becoming too wet or dry, which can cause them to lose effectiveness or become contaminated. This is especially vital for solid medications like tablets and powders, which can absorb moisture and dissolve or become sticky when exposed to high humidity.
Marathon Products’ devices like the 2c\temp-LCD temperature and data logger can accurately measure and record temperature and humidity levels across the facility, giving you real-time monitoring and humidity data for analytics. This way, you can effectively control humidity levels and use the data to develop better manufacturing and storage strategies for better humidity management.
2. Improved manufacturing processes
The manufacture of pharmaceutical products is a very intricate process that involves numerous chemicals and other humidity-sensitive ingredients. A humidity monitoring system, like the 3C\TEMP-RH Bluetooth Temperature & Humidity Logger, can help maintain a consistent environment for manufacturing processes.
As a result, you get more consistent product quality assurance, not to mention the added benefits of preventing unwanted chemical reactions between the medication ingredients. This can lead to further losses in replacements and safety concerns.
3. Compliance with regulations
Pharmaceutical companies are legally required to have temperature and humidity control systems in place. As a general rule, the World Health Organization recommends that pharmaceutical companies maintain a relative humidity level of about 50%. Failure to maintain these levels could affect product quality, effectiveness, and shelf life.
Additionally, many pharmaceutical products are sensitive to humidity and may require specific humidity conditions during manufacture and storage, which are stringently monitored by regulatory bodies. A humidity monitoring system can help prevent product recalls and other regulatory issues.
4. Improved working conditions
Humidity levels have a direct impact on working conditions. High humidity levels can negatively impact productivity by making employees feel tired and lethargic. High humidity can also aggravate heat-related illnesses like respiratory problems.
Leveraging a proper humidity control and monitoring system like the EDL-BT04 temperature and data logger can improve your employee’s comfort. Ultimately, this will lead to better employee satisfaction, improved performance, and decreased absenteeism.
5. Reduced energy costs
Humidity can make a room feel warmer, prompting you to crank up your HV/AC system. The result is often higher energy bills. On the upside, pharmaceutical companies can reduce some of these needless energy costs by simply regulating the humidity levels in their facilities.
When leveraged correctly, humidity monitoring systems can help alleviate some of a facility’s heating and cooling requirements, reducing costs.
Monitor humidity levels with Marathon Products
Uncontrolled humidity could potentially damage and reduce the shelf life of pharmaceutical products. By leveraging humidity monitoring systems, pharmaceutical companies can alleviate the potential risks and get a few added benefits, like improved working conditions and productivity.
Marathon Products has a proven track record of producing accurate, high-quality, and effective temperature and humidity monitoring systems. Some of our systems, like data loggers, can effectively record temperature and humidity levels so you can use the data for analytics and operational improvement.
If you’re ready to revolutionize your temperature and humidity monitoring practices with state-of-the-art technology, contact Marathon Products today or check out some of our other monitoring devices.