Yogyakarta, July 14th, 2024 - In the ongoing Summer Course 2024, participants continue to explore topics related to the Globalization of the Halal Industry. On the sixth day, they delved into the challenges of ensuring halal compliance in the pharmaceutical sector during a session titled "Halal Medicine—Challenges in Meeting Halal Requirements in the Pharmaceutical Industry." Riski Imaniastuti, S.Si, M.Eng, the R&D Manager at Daewoong Pharmaceutical Company Indonesia, presented this session, which was moderated by Dian Aruni Kumalawati, M.Sc.

The pharmaceutical industry faces significant challenges in ensuring their products adhere to halal standards. "Many pharmaceutical ingredients, both active and inactive, might come from non-halal animal sources. To tackle this issue, companies need to document and monitor all ingredients and manufacturing processes thoroughly," explained Imaniastuti.

Preventing cross-contamination is critical to maintaining the halal status of pharmaceutical products. Proposed solutions include using separate production lines, dedicated equipment, and strict cleaning protocols. Finding halal alternatives for non-halal ingredients is a complex process that requires extensive resources. These preventative measures are vital to reducing contamination risks and ensuring that final products remain halal.

The presentation highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration among academia, businesses, governments, and communities to expedite the development of the halal pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, a global regulatory framework is necessary to establish a worldwide supply chain for halal pharmaceutical products.

Throughout the 2024 Summer Course, participants maintained their enthusiasm and dedication. This session reinforced their commitment to discovering innovative and practical solutions to meet halal standards in the pharmaceutical industry.