Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Improved Quality Assurance in the Pharmaceutical Sector
Opportunities and Barriers
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Abstract
The pharmaceutical sector plays a critical role in safeguarding public health and supporting economic development. However, challenges such as substandard drug quality, counterfeit medications, and regulatory lapses continue to undermine its effectiveness in Nigeria. This study, therefore, explored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing quality assurance across the pharmaceutical value chain. The study adopted literature review approach. Drawing on extensive literature, the research highlighted how AI applications ranging from predictive maintenance and real-time defect detection to pharmacovigilance and supply chain optimization can significantly improve the safety, accuracy, and efficiency of pharmaceutical operations. Despite these promising benefits, the study identified several barriers to AI adoption. These include data quality issues, regulatory uncertainty, algorithmic bias, ethical concerns, lack of skilled personnel, high deployment costs, and cybersecurity risks. The findings suggested that while AI is not a panacea, its proper integration into pharmaceutical quality assurance systems can drastically reduce human error, ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and enhance patient safety. The study concluded that adopting AI is not just an innovation but a strategic imperative for transforming Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector and ensuring global competitiveness. Sequel to this, strategic collaboration among stakeholders such as government regulators, pharmaceutical firms, academia, and technology providers, to create an enabling environment for AI deployment was recommended.
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