Pharmig (formerly known as The Pharmaceutical Microbiology Interest Group – PharMIG) is a non-profit making professional organisation established in 1991 that now represents the interests of individuals who work in, have responsibility for, or work alongside microbiology within pharmaceutical, healthcare, cosmetics & NHS Industries.
Initial research in 1991 by Poly Hajipieris (then at Cilag Ltd.) showed that there was in fact no single group that specifically dealt with the interests and needs of pharmaceutical microbiologists at that time.
The inaugural meeting of Pharmig was hosted by Cilag Ltd. on 26th July 1991 with 13 Companies present. In an open debate, the attendees unanimously agreed that the existence of an interest group in pharmaceutical microbiology would be very useful and so Pharmig was born! The attendees at the first meeting elected a Chairman and Secretary. The second meeting was held at Boehringer Ingelheim on the 4th December 1991 and a Vice Chairman and Treasurer were elected and the rest is history!
Pharmig is unique amongst microbiology based societies: it is the only organisation for pharmaceutical microbiologists in the UK and Ireland, moreover it is one of the very few pharmaceutical microbiology bodies in the world.
Whilst pharmaceutical microbiology has remained at its core – Pharmig over recent years has expanded into the healthcare, cosmetics & NHS industries using its history of expertise and experiences in pharmaceutical microbiology to help train and educate these sectors too. Examples include its Annual PCT Conference (Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics & Toiletry Conference) that covers microbiological issues across all these sectors and presenting at the annual NHS QA Technical Services Symposium.
Over the twenty two years of its existence Pharmig remains true to its founding principles: to be the voice of pharmaceutical microbiology, to represent the interests of the pharma and healthcare community, and to promote “excellence in microbiology” across all sectors it now has involvement with.
