Articles by Mark Durivage
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EMA Publishes Guideline On Quality Documentation For Medicinal Products
8/2/2021
This new EMA guideline will become effective on January 1, 2022. It describes the information that should be presented in the quality part of a marketing authorization dossier for a medicinal product when it is used with a medical device and/or as part of a medical device. Medicinal products are similar to "combination products" referred to by the US FDA.
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FDA Releases Guidance On CMC Changes To An Approved Application: Certain Biological Products
7/14/2021
At the end of June, the FDA released a new guidance to assist applicants and manufacturers of certain licensed biological products in determining which reporting category is appropriate for a change in chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) information to an approved biologics license application. This article summarizes the guidance.
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FDA Issues Pandemic Remote Inspection Guidance For Drug Manufacturing Facilities
5/3/2021
On April 14, 2021, the FDA released a new guidance, Remote Interactive Evaluations of Drug Manufacturing and Bioresearch Monitoring Facilities During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. This article discusses planning, conducting, and concluding a remote interactive evaluation under this guidance, and shares how to submit public comments for FDA consideration.
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Establishing An Effective Calibration Program
3/15/2021
Calibration is the comparison of inspection, measuring, and test equipment against a traceable reference device to determine if accuracy and precision limits are met. It is one of the fundamental, yet often neglected requirements for GMP. Several international standards, regulations, and guidances provide requirements for an effective calibration program.
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7 Rules For Properly Interpreting Control Charts
2/15/2021
It is time to consider augmenting your validated production processes, including processing, packaging, and labeling, with continuous process monitoring using control charts to ensure continued compliance with established specifications and requirements.
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Using Production And Postmarket Data To Validate FMEA Assumptions
1/15/2021
One common issue with regulatory agencies and certification bodies regarding failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is that organizations are not utilizing production and postmarket surveillance data to validate the probability of occurrence and probability of detection assumptions, which leads to inspectional observations and audit findings.
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How To Implement Continuous Process Monitoring Of Validated Processes
10/28/2020
It is time to consider augmenting your validated pharmaceutical, medical device, and tissue production processes, including processing, packaging, and labeling, with continuous process monitoring to ensure continued compliance with established specifications and requirements if you do not want to be cited by the FDA.
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Making FMEA More Robust With HACCP
8/27/2020
Risk priority number scores and criticality analysis are frequently used to quantify risks for users, designs, and processes. However, these traditional failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) techniques often fail to fully document risks associated with contamination. To complement FMEA, consider borrowing a risk-management technique from the food industry.
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Identifying, Documenting, & Auditing Processes For Quality Management
5/25/2020
Process results that are predictable and consistent can be achieved more effectively and efficiently when the activities are considered, managed, and understood as interconnected processes that function as a system.
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Is It Time To Say Goodbye To FMEA Risk Priority Number (RPN) Scores?
4/27/2020
It may be time to consider eliminating the use of the traditional risk priority number (RPN) score and transitioning to the use of action priority (AP) ratings. AP ratings are much simpler to use, do not require a calculation (eliminating the validation of a spreadsheet), and provides a single simple table reference to determine the appropriate level of action.