Title: Competence in quality of pharmaceuticals by quality benchmarking: a conceptual discussion

Authors: R. Narayana Charyulu; V. Anoop Narayanan; D.S. Sandeep; N.R. Anupriya

Addresses: Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, NITTE (Deemed to be University), NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India ' Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, NITTE (Deemed to be University), NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India ' Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, NITTE (Deemed to be University), NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India ' Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, NITTE (Deemed to be University), NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India

Abstract: Benchmarking is a strategic tool that can be used by companies for comparing with their competitors the acquisition of more information for the implementation of new processes to improve the effectiveness of the company. Pharmaceutical companies compete on many different levels, from the developmental process of the drug, to the marketing of the product. This article provides the applicability of the benchmarking process in different areas of a pharmaceutical company. This includes benchmarking of the product development process, quality management system, strategy, and marketing system, information service, call handling, stability testing studies, efficacy benchmarking, etc. Even though the benchmarking process is an effective method for the improvement of the efficacy of the company, it affects the competitors by reducing their ability to commercially exploit their information and preventing others from acquiring the information. Therefore, the benchmarking process undergoes some legal and ethical issues, which is governed by intellectual property laws and competition law.

Keywords: quality; benchmarking; pharmaceuticals; quality management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2022.126332

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2022 Vol.37 No.2, pp.216 - 225

Received: 28 Jul 2020
Accepted: 14 Feb 2021
Published online: 21 Oct 2022 *

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