Uncompromising Quality

The importance of speed in human medicine has been demonstrated by the global race of research-based pharmaceutical companies to combat the coronavirus. But it’s not just new vaccines that call for quick action. The venerable family business Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, has the lofty ambition of getting faster with all kinds of innovation while still meeting the highest quality standards.

The collaboration between the teams at Boehringer Ingelheim and Porsche Consulting was intensive. The aim: to upgrade the quality culture and establish it globally. Even in places where major challenges and new territory lay ahead. The teams analyzed the life science company’s fields of action and created a portfolio of tasks, including eleven initiatives and more than 70 work packages. They ranged from data integrity to concepts for remote clinical trials for new drugs. The work packages also incorporated best practices based on Porsche Consulting’s pharmaceutical-industry expertise.

Boehringer Ingelheim develops groundbreaking innovations. In the future, its portfolio will also include digital therapies. For example, apps for people who have schizophrenia. And as with its traditional medicines, the company keeps a sharp focus on the special quality requirements from the outset. Dr. Lothar Halmer, Chief Quality Officer: “The highest quality standards apply. Apps have to be just as safe and reliable for patients as the pills they take for cardiovascular diseases or diabetes.”