Guide to Microbiological Control in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices

Microbiological matters continue to exercise considerable influence on product quality. In both the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, products of greater sophistication, along with evolving regulatory requirements, are elevating the challenges related to maintaining microbiological integrity. Updated to reflect technological and regulatory changes, the Guide to Microbiological Control in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, Second Edition covers thoseprincipal aspects of microbiology that arerelevant to the preformulation, formulation, manufacturing, and license application stages involved with the production of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In recognition of the diverse disciplines involved in pharmaceutical and medical device production, this work provides a brief introduction to microbiology geared towards the nonmicrobiologist. Covering good manufacturing practice in the control of contamination, the text explores quality control, the preservation of formulations, and principles of sterilization, including microbiological-specific considerations for biotechnological products and other medical devices. It also provides additional materials on package integrity and contamination risks in clean rooms. The editors have produced a companion text, the Handbook of Microbiological Quality Control in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (see reverse), which when paired with the Guide offers a complete theoretical and practical treatment of microbiological control. This book provides a comprehensive distillation of information concerning methodology and regulations that would otherwise remain scattered throughout the literature. It allows scientists from many fields to address potential problems in advance and implement suitable strategies at the earliest stages of development.