Tag: Good Manufacturing Practices

For companies operating in FDA-regulated industries—such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food manufacturing, and biotechnology—FDA inspections are an inevitable and crucial part of maintaining compliance. Understanding the inspection process and preparing adequately can make a significant difference in ensuring a smooth experience and maintaining compliance with FDA regulations.

 

Why Does the FDA Conduct Inspections?

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) conducts inspections to ensure that companies manufacture high quality products and comply with federal regulations regarding the safety, efficacy, quality and labeling of their products. Inspections serve to verify that manufacturing facilities follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), adhere to safety guidelines, and produce products that meet established standards. The legal authority for inspections is outlined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) 21 U.S.C. §374.

 

Types of FDA Inspections

FDA inspections can fall into several categories, including:

  1. Pre-Approval Inspections (PAI): Conducted before the FDA grants approval for a new product. These inspections verify the accuracy of the information submitted in regulatory applications (21 CFR Part 314.125 for drugs, 21 CFR Part 814.42 for medical devices).

  2. Routine Surveillance Inspections: Periodic inspections to ensure ongoing compliance with regulations. These can be announced or unannounced (21 CFR Part 820 for medical devices, 21 CFR Part 211 for pharmaceuticals).

  3. For-Cause Inspections: Triggered by a specific concern, such as a complaint, adverse event, or suspected regulatory violation (21 CFR Part 7.3(g) outlines recall classifications based on these inspections).

  4. Compliance Follow-Up Inspections: Conducted to verify corrective actions taken in response to previous inspection findings.

 

Sampling During Pharma Inspections

To help ensure that high-quality drugs are sold in the U.S., FDA maintains a comprehensive quality surveillance program. A critical function of this program is testing selected drugs in FDA laboratories. This includes testing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). FDA laboratories generally test drugs to standards set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), an organization that publishes quality monographs for medicines including attributes such as:

  • Identity: is it the right drug as indicated on the label?
  • Assay: how much drug is there and is it consistent with the labeled amount?
  • Impurities: are impurities within established specifications?
  • Dissolution: does the active ingredient dissolve out of the dosage unit so that the drug is available for the body to absorb?

FDA quality surveillance program includes multiple tools that complement sampling and testing. These tools include sampling assignment as a result of inspections, evaluation of post-market quality reports, signal detection, and data analysis.

 

What Happens During an FDA Inspection?

While each inspection may vary slightly depending on the industry and facility type, most follow a structured process:

  1. Notice of Inspection: The FDA may or may not provide advance notice of an inspection. When notified, companies should quickly organize relevant personnel and documentation (FDA Form 482 – Notice of Inspection).

  2. Opening Meeting: The FDA investigator(s) will present their credentials and explain the purpose and scope of the inspection.

  3. Facility Walkthrough: Inspectors tour the facility, observe operations, and assess compliance with regulatory requirements.

  4. Document and Record Review: The FDA will request to review various documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), batch records, testing, employee training records, deviation reports, verify data integrity, ALCOA and (21 CFR Part 11 for electronic records and signatures).

  5. Interviews: Inspectors may interview employees at various levels to gauge their understanding of compliance requirements and daily operations.

  6. Observations and Notations: Any potential violations or concerns are noted, typically recorded on FDA Form 483 and issued at the close of an inspection.

  7. Closing Meeting: The inspector provides preliminary feedback and discusses any observations that may require corrective actions.

 

How to Prepare for an FDA Inspection

  1. Maintain a State of Readiness: Always operate as if an inspection could occur at any time.

  2. Train Employees: Ensure that staff members understand regulatory requirements and are prepared to answer questions confidently and accurately.

  3. Conduct Internal Audits: Regular self-inspections can help identify and address potential compliance gaps before an FDA inspection.

  4. Organize Documentation: Maintain well-organized, readily accessible records to streamline the document review process.

  5. Establish an Inspection Plan: Have a clear strategy in place, including designated personnel to guide inspectors, manage documentation requests, and address findings promptly.

 

Post-Inspection Actions

After an FDA inspection, the company may receive an FDA Form 483 if compliance issues were noted. Addressing these findings promptly through corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) is crucial to demonstrating commitment to compliance. In some cases, the FDA may issue a Warning Letter (21 CFR Part 7.3) if significant violations are found, which requires a more formal response and resolution.

 

Conclusion

An FDA inspection is a critical event that can impact a company’s ability to operate and bring products to market. Proper preparation, adherence to regulatory standards, and a proactive compliance culture can help companies navigate inspections successfully. By staying informed and ready, businesses can not only pass inspections but also strengthen their overall compliance programs and ensure public safety. 

 

Are you prepared for an inspection at your facility? Regulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) can help your team prepare for inspections, manage inspections or help remediate any adverse findings once the inspection is complete. From developing a training program that suits your professional needs, company goals, and preferred learning style. To working with your leadership to create a response strategy, we have you covered.

 

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage. You may also email us at [email protected].

 

 

GMP inspectionHealth Canada, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently launched an innovative, new pilot focused on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The Single Inspection Program is designed to help rationalize the number of inspections needed to increase efficiency during the regulatory process.

 

A primary objective is to maintain regulatory standards by eliminating redundancies and providing a more “global approach to GMP inspections of third-country manufacturers”. Additionally, the program design is intended to increase existing collaborative GMP arrangements to allow for:

 

  • More efficient inspection reliance processes
  • Reduced regulatory burden on healthcare industry
  • Enhanced regulatory oversight of global supply chains

 

Regulatory Authorities

 

In a proactive step toward harmonization, the three regulatory bodies will begin accepting a single inspection for a Canadian, Australian and British regulatory application (based on the drug establishment license, or DEL). The long-term strategy includes leveraging the inspection assets of each regulatory authority to collectively collaborate when additional data is available.

 

Additionally, by maximizing the global regulatory reach of multiple agencies, the pharmaceutical industry will benefit from fewer inspections needed at the same site or manufacturing facility. This should increase both the speed of the regulatory process and patient access to medical products. Both are a win-win for the life science industry as the regulatory process becomes more streamlined than previously experienced.

 

GMP Practices

 

All three regulatory bodies are members of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S). PIC/S is an international, non-binding cooperative between Regulatory Authorities in the field of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Additionally, PIC/S membership is focused on companies that develop medicinal products for human or veterinary use, and over 50 countries from around the world currently participate. 

 

Finally, the mission of the current membership is to lead the “development, implementation, and maintenance of harmonized GMP standards and quality systems”. A more efficient inspection process will allow drug manufacturers to reduce any type of disruption to operations that multiple audits may induce. 

 

About RCA’s Pharmaceutical Consulting Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA) has helped thousands of pharmaceutical companies meet regulatory, compliance, quality assurance, and remediation challenges. With more than 20 years of experience with FDA, Health Canada, EU and global regulatory agencies worldwide, Regulatory Compliance Associates® offers leading pharmaceutical consultants. We’re one of the few pharma consulting companies that can help you navigate the challenges associated with industry regulations.

 

Our pharmaceutical consulting firm includes over 500 seasoned FDA, Health Canada & EU compliance consultants and regulatory affairs experts who understand industry complexities. It’s a pharma consultancy founded by regulatory compliance executives from the pharmaceutical industry. Every pharmaceutical industry consultant on the Regulatory Compliance Associates team knows the unique inner workings of the regulatory process. 

 

Client Solutions

 

Whether you’re in the product planning, development or pharmaceutical lifecycle management stage or need a remediation strategy for a compliance crisis, Regulatory Compliance Associates will guide you through every pharmaceutical consulting step of the regulatory process. Our pharmaceutical consulting Experts will create a customized approach depending on your product and company’s individual needs. Our regulatory compliance clients include:

 

  • Companies new to FDA, Health Canada or EU regulations and regulatory compliance
  • Start-up organizations with novel submissions to 510(k) submissions from multi-national corporations
  • Investment firms seeking private equity due diligence for pre-acquisition and post-deal research
  • Law firms seeking pharmaceutical consulting firm expertise in the remediation of warning letters, consent decrees, 483’s or import bans

 

Regulatory Affairs

 

Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates backbone. We exceed other pharma consulting companies with industry experts experienced in complexities of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our pharma consulting expertise spans all facets and levels of Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, we specialize in Regulatory Support for New Products to Life Cycle Management, Outsourced Regulatory Affairs, Submissions, Training, and more.

 

As your partner, we can negotiate the potential assessment minefield of regulatory compliance services with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our breadth and depth of knowledge and regulatory compliance consulting. We offer the following pharma consulting regulatory affairs services for pharmaceutical companies.

 

  • New Product Support
  • Product Lifecycle
  • Other Regulatory Services
  • Combination Products

 

Compliance Assurance

 

The regulations process surrounding pharmaceutical companies can be tricky for even the most experienced industry veteran to understand. Just one misstep could mean significant and lasting consequences for your business. At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer the pharma consulting experience and pharma consultants necessary to guide you through the quality compliance process.

 

  • Assessments
  • Audits
  • Regulatory Agency Response
  • Preparation and Training
  • Inspection Readiness
  • Data Integrity

 

Quality Assurance

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates Quality consulting includes assessments, strategy, implementations, staff augmentations, and identification of quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Our pharma consultants understand the strategic thinking needed to align your business needs and goals. Regulatory Compliance Associates quality assurance services include quality experts with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. Our pharmaceutical consulting firm knows firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality. Finally, our regulatory compliance services team excels in transferring continuous improvement knowledge to your organization.

 

  • 21 CFR Part 11
  • Data Integrity
  • Manufacturing Support
  • Facility Support
  • Quality Metrics

 

Remediation Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates has a proven remediation services approach to managing FDA Warning Letters, Consent Decrees, Remediation and other serious regulatory situations. Our pharma consultants know how to partner with executive, legal, and communication teams. Each RCA pharma consulting Expert will develop a response that will be accepted by the regulatory agency and be realistic to execute.

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma regulatory consultants will develop a comprehensive proof book of documented evidence demonstrating the corrective action taken to remediate non-compliant issues. In addition, each Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma consulting Expert understands compliance enforcement. We’ll prepare a comprehensive pharma consulting strategy to assist in your remediation efforts, drive continuous improvement, and maintain regulatory compliance with the regulations.

 

  • Regulatory Action
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Enforcement
  • Warning Letter
  • 483 Observation
  • Oversight Services
  • Risk Management Plan

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associates

 

pharmaceutical consultantsRegulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides pharmaceutical consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

 

 

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

 

As your partners, Regulatory Compliance Associates can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

 

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

 

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

 

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

 

We are a trusted partner to 5,800+ customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Commitment to Quality

 

Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage.

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates® will be exhibiting at CPhI North America 2024 in Philadelphia with Sterigenics and Nelson Labs. Stop by booths #1015 to meet experts from each team to learn how we can provide you with a complete solution for any of your projects. Together we understand your business and are prepared to discuss solutions to your regulatory, quality, compliance, sterilization, and lab testing needs to help ensure the safety of your product and process.

 

About CPhI NA

CPhI organizes the most important and widespread series of global pharmaceutical events. Our gatherings are both renowned and revered—but it didn’t start in North America. With massive events throughout Asia, South America, Europe, and beyond…more than 500,000 powerful and respected pharma players from every aspect of the supply chain understand that CPhI is where they connect to learn, grow, and conduct business. With a 30-year tradition and an infrastructure fine-tuned to unite buyers, sellers, and industry trailblazers, we expanded this iconic worldwide events portfolio into the most progressive mega market on earth.

 

Pharmaceutical Consulting Services 

Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA) has helped thousands of pharmaceutical companies meet regulatory, compliance, quality assurance, and remediation challenges. With more than 20 years of experience with FDA, Health Canada, EU and global regulatory agencies worldwide, Regulatory Compliance Associates® offers leading pharmaceutical consultants. We’re one of the few pharma consulting companies that can help you navigate the challenges associated with industry regulations.

Our pharmaceutical consulting firm includes over 500 seasoned FDA, Health Canada & EU compliance consultants and regulatory affairs experts who understand industry complexities. It’s a pharma consultancy founded by regulatory compliance executives from the pharmaceutical industry. Every pharmaceutical industry consultant on the Regulatory Compliance Associates team knows the unique inner workings of the regulatory process. 

 

Client Solutions

Whether you’re in the product planning, development or pharmaceutical lifecycle management stage or need a remediation strategy for a compliance crisis, Regulatory Compliance Associates will guide you through every pharmaceutical consulting step of the regulatory process. Our pharmaceutical consulting Experts will create a customized approach depending on your product and company’s individual needs. Our regulatory compliance clients include:

  • Companies new to FDA, Health Canada or EU regulations and regulatory compliance
  • Start-up organizations with novel submissions to 510(k) submissions from multi-national corporations
  • Investment firms seeking private equity due diligence for pre-acquisition and post-deal research
  • Law firms seeking pharmaceutical consulting firm expertise in the remediation of warning letters, consent decrees, 483’s or import bans

 

Regulatory Affairs

Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates backbone. We exceed other pharma consulting companies with industry experts experienced in complexities of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our pharma consulting expertise spans all facets and levels of Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, we specialize in Regulatory Support for New Products to Life Cycle Management, Outsourced Regulatory Affairs, Submissions, Training, and more.

As your partner, we can negotiate the potential assessment minefield of regulatory compliance services with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our breadth and depth of knowledge and regulatory compliance consulting. We offer the following pharma consulting regulatory affairs services for pharmaceutical companies.

  • New Product Support
  • Product Lifecycle
  • Other Regulatory Services
  • Combination Products

 

Compliance Assurance

The regulations process surrounding pharmaceutical companies can be tricky for even the most experienced industry veteran to understand. Just one misstep could mean significant and lasting consequences for your business. At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer the pharma consulting experience and pharma consultants necessary to guide you through the quality compliance process.

  • Assessments
  • Audits
  • Regulatory Agency Response
  • Preparation and Training
  • Inspection Readiness
  • Data Integrity

 

Quality Assurance

Regulatory Compliance Associates Quality consulting includes assessments, strategy, implementations, staff augmentations, and identification of quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Our pharma consultants understand the strategic thinking needed to align your business needs and goals. Regulatory Compliance Associates quality assurance services include quality experts with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. Our pharmaceutical consulting firm knows firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality. Finally, our regulatory compliance services team excels in transferring continuous improvement knowledge to your organization.

  • 21 CFR Part 11
  • Data Integrity
  • Manufacturing Support
  • Facility Support
  • Quality Metrics

 

Remediation Services 

Regulatory Compliance Associates has a proven remediation services approach to managing FDA Warning Letters, Consent Decrees, Remediation and other serious regulatory situations. Our pharma consultants know how to partner with executive, legal, and communication teams. Each RCA pharma consulting Expert will develop a response that will be accepted by the regulatory agency and be realistic to execute.

Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma regulatory consultants will develop a comprehensive proof book of documented evidence demonstrating the corrective action taken to remediate non-compliant issues. In addition, each Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma consulting Expert understands compliance enforcement. We’ll prepare a comprehensive pharma consulting strategy to assist in your remediation efforts, drive continuous improvement, and maintain regulatory compliance with the regulations.

  • Regulatory Action
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Enforcement
  • Warning Letter
  • 483 Observation
  • Oversight Services
  • Risk Management Plan

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associates

pharmaceutical consultantsRegulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides pharmaceutical consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

As your partners, Regulatory Compliance Associates can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

We are a trusted partner to 5,800+ customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Commitment to Quality

Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage.