The importance of medical gases today is indisputable. Due to the rising number of chronic diseases, the growing base of the elderly population, and the increasing demand for home healthcare, the medical gases market is growing rapidly.
In 2016, the global medical gas market size was valued at $7.5bn and was anticipated to witness a CAGR of 9% during the forecast period, according to a Global Industry Report published in 2018 by Grand View Research. In such a major market, assuring safety in the distribution of medical gases is a number one priority. Moreover, regardless of the process stage, medical gases are generally regulated as finished pharmaceuticals. Assuring purity of medical oxygen, carbon dioxide, and liquid nitrogen, for instance, is not only down to production. Suppliers are challenged to guarantee product quality throughout production and distribution. The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) gives detailed guidance with regards to product validations, manufacturing, batch controls, holding, and delivery.
There are plenty of variables to govern: training for on-site personnel and drivers, continuous analysis of storage and batch tanks as well as vehicles, such as trucks or service vehicles for delivery to private households. Another important aspect is the usage of continuously validated equipment to assure the most accurate results. In favour of highest quality control across the entire supply chain, any possible human errors should be avoided, and that is where highly developed and holistic automation systems excel. Primarily, when the operations can address and control every aspect from analysing gas storage tanks to the release of goods.
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