Statistical Quality Control

Generic Pills Can Be Hard to Swallow

The drug production system is broken. Fixing it requires putting quality first.

Generic drugs are supposed to be affordable alternatives to name-brand medications. Contrary to what the F.D.A. claims, a pill is not always a pill. In the quest for ever-cheaper generic drugs, quality has sometimes – not always! – been sacrificed both in the US and abroad, and without a transparent rating system, health consumers are kept in the dark. Furthermore, the reliance on a few foreign suppliers of active […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2021-09-29T18:49:34+00:00October 5, 2021|Tags: process capability, product quality, quality control, shortage, six sigma, sourcing|

3D Printed Swabs to Reduce Shortages

Formlabs, a Massachusetts-based 3D-printing company, is preparing its Ohio manufacturing facility to supply 100,000 swabs per day to stem the shortage of this key component of COVID-19 test kits.

These swabs will first be sent to partner hospitals that helped develop and design the swabs. A plan is at work to access the distribution channels of 3,000 hospitals in the U.S. so that Formlabs can supply the much needed component of the COVID-19 test kits for widespread testing of the disease.

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2020-04-30T07:26:02+00:00April 30, 2020|Tags: 3D printing, distribution, ISO quality, product design|

Kia Recalls SUVS Due to Fire Hazard

Kia is joining Hyundai in recalling SUVs and minivans in the United States because of an electrical short that is a known fire hazard.

Kia and Hyundai combined have recalled over 650,000 vehicles due to this issue in the braking system computer. Engine fires have been reported for several years now in both Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

Video Spotlight:

Problems with nationwide Kia and Hyundai recall (RTV6 The Indy Channel, May 29, 2019)

By David Little, Ph.D.|2020-03-09T17:27:31+00:00March 9, 2020|Tags: defects, quality control, recalls|

Productivity vs. Patient Safety at Walgreens and CVS

Tired employees at Walgreens and CVS are making mistakes that may threaten patient safety.

For some time, pharmacists have argued that understaffed and high-pace work environments are contributing to medication errors and compromising public safety. Management has challenged these allegations but is planning to review the standards used to evaluate pharmacists’ performance.

Video Spotlight: Medication Errors at 24-Hour Pharmacies

This post is based on The New York Times article, At Walgreens, Complaints of Medication […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2020-03-07T00:47:54+00:00March 6, 2020|Tags: process capability, productivity, statistical process control, work design|