When we think of life-saving medicine, our brain often goes towards complex chemical formulas and high-tech laboratories with all the newest technology. However, there is one key ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry that isn’t a rare compound and makes all the difference in ensuring that all the medicines are safe to use and that’s ultrapure water (UPW).
It becomes much safer for pharmaceutical companies to use medicines when UPW is involved, as it can get rid of contaminants like bacteria and endotoxins that can reduce the quality of medication and affect the safety of patients. It can also be used to clean equipment, so they can keep them up to the required standard while reducing any recalls.
This guide will explain how ultrapure water can be used in the pharmaceutical industry to make medication safe to use. Continue reading to learn more.
UPW Benefits
Eliminates Unwanted Variables
Even the smallest change to a chemical can completely change the way a medication functions. For example, the slightest trace of magnesium can alter a drug’s structure, which can lead to it becoming harmful to use for patients. UPW can eliminate unwanted variables to ensure that the only ingredients in the formula are those that are intended by the manufacturer. Precision is crucial in this industry to ensure that all the medications work as intended and don’t harm anyone who will be using them.
Prevents Endotoxin Contamination
UPW is perfect for the removal of toxic compounds found within bacteria that can cause severe side effects when used. These pyrogens are heat-stable, so standard boiling or basic filtration often aren’t enough to neutralise them, which is where UPW comes into play. It uses advanced ultrafiltration to ensure that water used meets the biological standard of the medication that is being created. This will protect patients from any dangerous inflammatory responses, keeping them safe from side effects.
Protects the Gut-Brain Stability
Recent medical research has highlighted the delicate balance of the gut-brain, noting how even trace impurities in oral medications can disrupt the microbiome and neurological health. Keeping these as healthy as possible can boost your quality of life exponentially. UPW being used in the production of liquid medications and coatings allows manufacturers to ensure that pollutants are introduced into the patient’s system. This purity helps maintain the body’s internal equilibrium, ensuring that the medication treats the intended ailment without causing secondary disruptions to the patient’s health.
Medical Tech Sterilisation
UPW is also very important for the high-level sterilisation of medical technology and laboratory hardware. Residue from standard water can build up on surgical instruments and internal components of diagnostic machinery, leading to equipment failure. Rinsing and autoclaving with ultrapure water ensures that every surface is the cleanest it can be to prevent cross-contamination and maintain the sterile integrity of the entire medical environment.
Sustainability
While the focus of UPW is often on safety, modern systems are now designed with sustainability in mind and have been for the last few decades. Traditional water purification can be water-intensive, but new innovations allow facilities to recover and reuse water for non-critical plant operations. Pharmaceutical companies can optimise this system to protect patient health while improving their eco-friendly protocols. It has proven that high-tech medicine can be made while remaining ecologically responsible, which helps areas reach net-zero by 2030. This is a goal for a lot of countries around the world want to meet and achieving this in the pharmaceutical industry would be a huge step forward.
How UPW Complies to International Standards
Ultrapure water is treated as a regulated medical ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry. To ensure international consistency and patient safety, manufacturers like Xylem must adhere to the standards set by regulatory bodies. These define exact chemical and microbiological specifications that water must meet to be used in drug production. Compliance with these standards is a legal mandate. It helps to ensure that a life-saving treatment maintains the same high-purity profile and safety record when shipped to other countries.
Water for Injection (WFI) is the ideal level of purity required. While standard ultrapure water is suitable for many laboratory tasks, WFI is mandatory for any medication that bypasses the body’s natural defences. Pharmaceutical facilities can now prevent contamination at the molecular level, upholding the sterile integrity of the entire global healthcare supply chain.
Final Thoughts
The future of the pharmaceutical industry should implement UPW in their medication creation to ensure that it is safe to use for all patients. It can help protect against contaminants and overcome global health challenges, as it can accelerate the development of new treatments with fewer setbacks during the testing phases. Meeting purity standards is now essential for healthcare, so pharmaceutical industries can build towards a better future for everyone involved in the supply chain.