Last month I was lucky enough to travel to New York’s Javitz Center where I met with a variety of visitors who worked, in some capacity, in the world of pharmaceuticals. During the show, I got to answer a variety of questions, but there were three that seemed most interesting to those I spoke with. Since they seemed to be important to those in attendance, I wanted to take some time to share with you the answers I provided in case you’d find them beneficial.
Q) What is Thermal Mapping?
- Thermal Mapping is something we’ve been talking about a lot, and not just in pharma. It’s one of our newest offerings, along with Validation and Installation, and is managed by Dickson’s Services Team. In general terms, thermal mapping is a process used to diagnose the temperature and humidity stability of a warehouse or piece of equipment. Typically, this process is used to ensure that there are no pockets within a warehouse that are not suitable for pharmaceutical products to be stored or prove that preventative maintenance on equipment has been effective. The documentation we provide then protects companies in the event of an audit. That’s why this isn’t just something we’ve been talking about, it’s something our customers have been asking about.
Q) What kinds of equipment do you Validate?
- As mentioned above, Validation is one of our new service offerings. Our Director of Services, Antoine Nguyen, has nearly 20 years of validation experience across a number of highly regulated companies and brings with him an expert level of knowledge on the topic. He and his team are able to validate refrigerators, freezers, stability chambers, or incubators, and, of course, new monitoring systems purchased from Dickson.
Q) How many monitors do I need for my (insert what’s being monitored here)?
- Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can easily answer, as it depends on how large the space is and how stable the temperature distribution is throughout. The only way to scientifically determine how many monitoring points are needed would be through a Mapping study. In those studies, we follow World Health Organization guidelines and place devices every five to ten meters within a three-dimensional plane. That information can then be used to ensure that you’re monitoring the correct locations and that your warehouse, or other monitored item, is being used appropriately and in good working condition.
While there were many other questions that were asked throughout the show, these are the three that stood out to me as being most important to those I spoke to. If you’re interested in learning more about the above or have other questions you’d like answers to, please feel free to reach out and let us know. You can find us online at DicksonData.com or call us at (630) 543.3747 today!
