PharmaXchange at Bausch+Ströbel Is Annex 1 the Elephant in the Room?

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Bausch + Ströbel SE + Co. KG

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A metaphor for an obvious, unresolved problem that everyone notices but no one talks about – that’s the famous elephant in the room. In the pharmaceutical industry, one specific topic immediately comes to mind: Annex 1. However, PharmaXchange at Bausch+Ströbel impressively demonstrated that this supposed “elephant” was not ignored here, but rather tamed – and viewed as an opportunity.

Annex 1 remains what it has been for many companies since its publication: the metaphorical elephant in the room – large, powerful, unavoidable. Dr. Florian Ilgen, keynote speaker for change, leadership, and AI, summed up this sentiment in his opening speech at Bausch+Ströbel’s PharmaXchange: Annex 1 is the elephant. Companies can be concerned – or they can be curious. Successful change can only be achieved with a childlike attitude – unbiased, courageous, and open to new things. “The memories we focus on shape our results,” said Ilgen. It is an appeal not to fear the elephant, but to see it as an opportunity. Those who act with curiosity instead of fear will find better solutions – even in aseptic production. This change of perspective is more urgent today than ever, because Annex 1 is now part of everyday life.

The New Everyday Routine

The roundtable discussion at PharmaXchange quickly revealed how profoundly Annex 1 has already become part of everyday operations. “Everything old is new again,” summarized Christa Myers, Senior Fellow Aseptic and Sterile Products at CRB. Established processes must be fundamentally revised – from logistics and material flow to operating concepts and even the smallest movements performed by operators. Critical parts and surfaces may no longer be touched with gloves, but only with sterile tools. This significantly increases training requirements and quality standards. Virtual training formats can accelerate the development of skills and enable training and further education away from the plant. The central platform Omnia from Bausch+Ströbel offers, among other things, VR- and AR-based training formats for which user-specific modules can be developed.