Pharmacy technology of the ICU - Today and tomorrow

Advances in technology are impacting many areas of pharmacy and are expected to change how drugs are developed, marketed, and used in clinical practice in the intensive care unit. Biopharmaceutical support and development, combinatorial biosynthesis processes, chiral separation techniques, and even photoactivation are defining what new products will be available in the future. The multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical marketplace is in turmoil with mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships being driven by the need to be associated with biotechnology companies. Pharmacy as a profession is shifting to a patient-centered focus, and the incorporation of pharmacists in team care is rapidly occurring. Critical care pharmacists have developed strong network affiliations and are focusing on improving the incorporation of drug information into practice and decreasing adverse drug events. The critical care unit of tomorrow will incorporate both high technology derived drugs and high technology centered drug information specialists.