Four Factors to Consider When Looking for a Pharmaceutical Printing Company
There’s a lot of work involved in successfully bringing a new drug to market. From drug development to clinical trials to manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies require significant investments of both money and time. When it comes time to market a new drug, it can be particularly challenging, especially when labels, packaging, and promotional materials are involved. These materials must be produced with one hundred percent accuracy and be clearly legible, or patient outcomes and brand equity could be adversely impacted.
Finding a knowledgeable vendor that recognizes the criticality of regulatory compliance and is experienced in handling sensitive data is essential. Here are 4 factors to consider when looking for a pharmaceutical printing company.
Learn more about pharmaceutical printing and data integrity by downloading our guide below.
Pharmaceutical Printing Capabilities
Accurate, error-free pharma printing and labeling require specialized systems, processes, and techniques. A trusted pharma printing partner will have adequate systems and processes in place to ensure that all data and files maintain full integrity throughout their lifecycle. Before choosing a new vendor, ensure you have all of the necessary information to make an informed decision.
Here are some questions you can ask:
- What is your proofing and quality control process?
- What level of expertise do you have in the pharmaceutical industry?
- What unique pharmaceutical printing solutions can you provide?
- How will you help us maintain compliance with government regulations?
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Regulatory Compliance Expertise
Pharmaceutical printing is unique in the industry regulations it must meet. Since printers transmit patient data and handle sensitive marketing copy, both their processes and equipment must be HIPAA compliant. Labels and packaging also need to comply with current good manufacturing practices.
Here are several ways to guarantee your chosen pharmaceutical printing company possesses the expertise necessary to ensure compliance:
They Use HIPAA-Compliant Servers
HIPAA-compliant servers are critical for following secure file transfer protocol (FTP). A compliant server will follow HIPAA guidelines to prevent medical records and associated information from data breaches, as they can be detrimental to individuals and organizations. Without a HIPAA-compliant hosting server, your printer will have no way of guaranteeing that their file transfer process is meeting HIPAA requirements.
They Employ a Secure Environment for Confidential Personal and Product Information
Printers with SOC2 and certifications have undergone extremely rigorous data security audits and facility inspections to ensure that data is transmitted, stored, and used in a protected environment while following stringent protocols, limited access, and detailed digital usage logs.
As a group that takes data security very seriously, the Phoenix Group is certified and is also in the process of becoming SOC2 certified, we’re one of only a handful of printers across the country to invest in obtaining these prestigious certifications.
They Have a Thorough Understanding of HITECH
The HITECH Act was created with a focus on privacy and security concerns related to the electronic transmission of health information and to strengthen the enforcement of HIPAA. Ensuring that your printer understands this act will go far in helping you maintain compliance with HIPAA regulations.
Proper Proofreading and Quality Control Procedures
Error-free files and accurate documents are a necessity in pharmaceutical printing, and manual proofreading often isn’t thorough enough to guarantee this.
Trusted print providers like the Phoenix Group have established unique quality control procedures like utilizing first-rate scanning and inspection technology.
With a suite of advanced quality control processes, content verification, and inspection technology, the Phoenix Group’s Proof Perfect™ process ensures complete file integrity for all products from proof to plate to print. Each project, whether electronic, hard proof, or printed piece, is checked using multiple digital scanning and content verification stations at every stage—proofing, plate making, and off the press—before the full job goes to print. You’ll never have to worry about content being lost, or characters or graphic elements dropping off during the file RIP, proofing, plate making, or printing process.
Company-Wide Focus on Data Integrity
If you’re not familiar with the term, data integrity refers to the degree to which data is accurate, complete, and consistent over its entire lifecycle. Maintaining data integrity requires ensuring that data is never corrupted in any way. This means data security should be a top priority to your pharmaceutical printer.
Having a company-wide focus on data integrity is critical. The right pharmaceutical printing company will ensure that all team members are familiar with and practicing the good data integrity practices set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Trust the Phoenix Group for Your Print Projects
The importance of maintaining compliance and data integrity when printing pharmaceutical materials can’t be overstated. Compromised data, labels, or marketing materials can have significant, long-lasting effects on pharmaceutical companies both large and small. These risks only reinforce the importance of working with a print vendor who specializes in high-quality printing for pharmaceutical companies.
Download the guide to learn more about the importance of data integrity in your pharmaceutical printing.
