farmacèutics

Farmacèutics, commonly referred to in English as pharmaceutics, is the branch of pharmacy that focuses on turning a drug into a safe, effective, and manufacturable dosage form. It integrates chemistry, materials science, biology, and engineering to design and evaluate how medicines are delivered to patients.

Core activities include selecting appropriate dosage forms (tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, injectables, inhalers, topical and transdermal systems), choosing excipients, and developing delivery systems that achieve desired release profiles and bioavailability. Excipients act as carriers, stabilizers, or aids to manufacturing and patient use. The practice also encompasses formulation stability, compatibility, packaging, and storage.

Pharmaceutics covers the entire lifecycle of a medicine, from early discovery through manufacturing scale-up and regulatory approval. Preformulation studies assess the physical and chemical properties of the active ingredient; formulation development optimizes composition and manufacturing processes; scale-up, process validation, and quality control ensure consistent product performance. Regulatory frameworks require documentation on quality, safety, and efficacy (chemistry, manufacturing, and controls).

The field is essential to patient care by ensuring medicines are safe, effective, and accessible. It is closely related to pharmacology, which studies drug effects in the body, and to medicinal chemistry, which optimizes the active ingredient. Careers include formulation scientist, process development engineer, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs.

Pharmacotechnical advances—from new excipients to advanced delivery systems and biologics—continue to expand the capabilities and reach of farmacèutics in modern healthcare.