Pharmaceuticals - what is it?

Pharmaceuticals is an industry that is tasked with mass production of standardized medicines. It is a historical continuation of pharmacy. Between the two concepts and methods of obtaining medicines there is a significant difference.

Pharmacy and pharmaceutics: what are the differences?

Pharmacy is known since ancient times, when the first medicines began to be manufactured. To date, pharmacy is a scientific discipline, in the field of which is the creation of medicines, the study of their reliability, research in the synthesis and production of drugs, the study of the mechanism of action of drugs on humans and much more. Also the subject of study is the search and testing of natural remedies. Pharmaceuticals are the industrial production of medicines, the next stage in the development of pharmacy to meet the needs of the mass consumer.

Pharmaceuticals as part of pharmacy appeared in the 19th century, when it became clear that the long-known method of manufacturing medicines can not provide a mass consumer, and the products obtained are of an artisan nature. The consequence of individual manufacturing of drugs was frequent complications in patients, each specialist - "pharmacist" - had his own prescription for a given drug, there was no general formula and standardization of drugs.

Since the 19th century, the era of standardization and the emergence of pharmacy chains started, the movement began in the US, after understanding the benefits of creating a medical market. Medicines began to be produced in large numbers after the appearance of the first large-scale enterprises. Thus, pharmaceutics is a technological production of medicines with all the attendant interests of the high-tech industry.

What does the pharmaceutical industry do?

In the modern world, pharmaceuticals are a field of knowledge and practice in the interests of industrial, mass and economically perfect production of medicines and substances. She studies all aspects of mass production of drugs. In her competence:

• Study of the effectiveness of drugs and their effects on the human body.
• Study of chemical constituents of medicinal products (dosing, concentration, etc.).
• Kinds of medicinal forms, ways of their introduction in manufacture and realization.
• Physical states of medicinal substances (size, shape, etc.).
• Technology of mass production, machines and devices for industry, equipment of production lines.
• Auxiliary substances of drugs, their effect on the final product and the human body.

Development of pharmaceutics

The pharmaceutical industry emerged in the second half of the 19th century. In this period, the first pharmacies appeared, where drugs were not made, but only sold. In the implementation of patented funds. The pioneers of industrial production of medicines were two companies: Bohm produced ammonia, and Pelletier - quinine. Their example was followed by the owners of retail pharmacies, on the basis of which later large-scale production grew.

When enterprising pharmacists realized that pharmaceuticals are very profitable, they began to build their own businesses. In 1827, the apothecary Merck began to produce medicines based on natural ingredients (morphine, quinine, etc.), which subsequently led him to create a large company. The basis of many well-known pharmaceutical brands is the usual pharmacy, for example, "Schering" (Germany) or "Park-Davis" (USA).

Pharmaceutics and Chemistry

Not only the activity of pharmacies was limited to this branch. Pharmaceuticals are directly related to the chemical industry. Chemical waste products served as a launch for several companies, for example, such as "Bayer". The state policy of patenting the names of medicines also contributed to the development of the industry.

Any manufacturer could come up with his own name for the drug and sell it under his own brand, which did not stop the others from selling the same goods under other names. Successful advertising and marketing campaigns have made the drug "Aspirin" 24 times more expensive than acetylsalicylic acid, which, in fact, it was.

The unfolding war between Prussia and Austria in 1866 stimulated the production of pharmaceuticals. The subsequent military conflicts in Europe also served as an impetus to the rapid growth of large-scale production of proprietary medicines. Prior to the First World War, Germany was the leader of the pharmaceutical industry, its market share was 20% of the total turnover of medicines. Later, the leadership was transferred to companies from the United States.

Russian Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals in Russia began to develop from monasteries, where all the sufferers received not only spiritual food, but also help in curing diseases, numerous healer advice. In 1091 the first hospital was established in Russia, initiated by Pereyaslav priest Ephraim. The chronicles preserved the names of many monastic healers, and some of them were honored with centuries of reverence, for example, Pimen Postnik and Dimian Tselebnik.

The Mongol-Tatar invasion and several centuries of slavery stopped the development of science in many areas, medicine practically ceased to exist. Interest in her revived in the royal family in 1547, when several specialists were brought to the court from Europe.

The first pharmacy appeared in Moscow under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the duties of the staff included servicing the monarch's family. It became the basis for the creation of the Aptekarska Chamber. Reliable information about the first pharmacy is not preserved. It is believed that it was located opposite the Chudov Monastery in the Kremlin. All the works were strictly regulated, the ingredients used were taken into account in the special book, the manufactured medicines were supplied with an inscription indicating the content and quantity of each component and the name of the pharmacist who created the medicine. The book was kept by the chief of the Aptekarska Chamber together with all the medicines.

Petrovsky reforms

In 1654 the school for the training of doctors and pharmacists was opened. A public pharmacy appeared in Moscow in 1672, and it was not far from Red Square, it was given the name Novaya, not to be confused with Tsarskoy. Progress in this area brought the main reformer of Russia - Peter I. In 1701, according to his decree, in the White-stone were opened eight such shops. The largest and most advanced pharmacy of that time was located on Myasnitskaya Street in 1706. The task of this institution was not only the dispensing of medicines to a wide range of buyers, but also the supply of medicines to army units.

In 1714, Peter the Great conducted another reform of medicine and renamed the Aptekarskaya Chamber to the Medical Chancellery. The new institution was engaged in the control of military medical affairs, the regulation of the work of pharmacists. In the middle of the 18th century, 14 pharmacies were established in the capital, and they appeared in many large cities.

Achievements of Russian pharmacists

Domestic pharmaceuticals made a significant contribution to world science. The brightest discoveries were made at the Medical-Surgical Academy (St. Petersburg). On the basis of the educational institution, Professor OV Zabelin organized a laboratory where pharmacological experiments were conducted. Thanks to the activities of AA Sokolovsky, such disciplines as pharmacology and pharmaceutics were studied at Moscow University. Contributions to the development of drugs and drugs were made by many scientists who worked at the turn of the 19-20 centuries.

Pharmaceutical products were produced in the Soviet period only after a long period of testing, confirmation of the effectiveness and safety of its use. A network of laboratories and large enterprises for the synthesis of complex medicines was established in the country. Produced drugs were of high quality. At present, Russian pharmaceuticals fully comply with the world industry standards. A working network of laboratories and productions continues to develop new medicines, experiments and research are conducted.

Russian pharmaceutical factories produce products that are in demand on the domestic and foreign markets. The five largest pharmaceutical enterprises of the Russian Federation look like this:

• "AstraZeneca."
• ZAO Vertex.
• STADA CIS.
• "Microgen".
• JSC "Grindeks".

Profession "pharmacist"

Pharmaceuticals are a science and a branch of production that requires qualified personnel. Medical schools train specialists of two professions - pharmacist and pharmacist. A pharmacist is a junior medical staff, a specialty is given in colleges, training lasts 4 years. The profession of the pharmacist is mastered in universities for 7 years (6 years of training +1 year internship).

The pharmacists get the knowledge base in four main directions. After graduation, specialists in this field work in pharmacies, pharmacy stores, laboratories, profile research institutes. Pharmaceuticals attract students with great opportunities and dynamism. A specialist should not only dispense medicines, but give advice on an alternative choice. In addition, the mastered knowledge base allows you to understand how drugs are made, what their effects and contraindications are.

Who can work for an employee of an enterprise whose business is pharmaceuticals? The medicine for any disease is made taking into account and observance of strict technologies and rules. For the pharmacist there is work at any site of the enterprise. Directions of the work of such a specialist:

• Pharmacist-seller - works in a retail pharmacy network. The scope of duties includes communication with customers, keeping records, making prescription drugs, storing medicines correctly, replenishing inventory.
• Pharmacist-researcher works in laboratories. The tasks of the researcher are: the study of the course of diseases, healing processes, the behavior of bacteria, viruses, microflora, etc. The most attentive specialists get access to work with dangerous types of viruses (AIDS, Ebola, etc.) for the development of vaccines against these diseases.
• Pharmaceutical distributors are in demand in pharmaceutical companies that sell their own medicines or are representatives of large corporations.

Pharmaceuticals are a synthesis of science and production. Serious release drugs are used by almost everyone. A reasonable approach to the consumption of medicines contributes to the preservation of health and the cure of many diseases.