The new credential will see industry insiders being examined and assessed on their education and experience to be named a Certified Pharmaceutical Industry Professional (CPIP).
The credential is being made available through the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering professional certification commission (ISPE-PCC).
The credential would be the first competency-based international certification for pharmaceutical professionals and has been required to move the industry forward, said ISPE director of professional certification Jerry Roth.
"The CPIP credential recognizes professionals that meet a global competency standard.
These credentialed individuals, 'change agents', can influence greater drug product quality as well as development and manufacturing efficiency," Roth told US-PharmaTechnologist.com.
The new credential covers a range of competencies from drug product development through manufacturing, and the exam will assess the individual's technical knowledge.
"Our industry benefits from employees certified in diverse knowledge, and with the ability to apply this knowledge across all segments of our industry," said Dr Ali Afnan of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Roth beleived discrimination would not be a problem with the new credentials.
"One of the greatest realized values to a credentialed individual is career advancement and mobility.
As an employer in this global industry, recognizing professionals certified to a global competency standard aids in recruiting the most qualified individuals and assists the individuals in their professional development," he said.
Any professionals who work in drug product development, drug product manufacturing operations, facilities/process engineering, facility and process equipment manufacturing and supply, project management, regulatory compliance/QA/validation, and technical support, are encouraged to apply.
The 2007 exams for the new certification will be available between July 9 and August 4 and again between November 5 and December 8.
Eligibility applications should be submitted at least 60 days prior to exam dates.
To obtain the application visit www.ispe-pcc.org .
Recertification would be required every three years.
The ISPE-PCC is an autonomous governing body within the ISPE which develops certification programs to benefit credential holders and their employers, as well as government, academia, and the public health product consumer.