Clinical Research Solutions

The Cost of Inadequately Scheduling Cleaning Validation

Ever wonder why some—most—projects don’t go as planned? Let me take a chance at explaining what I have observed in the last few decades. Firstly, let us assume that you have contracted a well-known...

Assay Streamlining, Benefits and Drawbacks

As a biopharmaceutical company matures and new products are added to its portfolio, expansion of its facilities, systems and Quality Control is a natural outcome. The growth in the Quality Control...

Clinical Research Solutions

GAMP® 5 Concept – Process Understanding

In my previous blog I re-visited key GAMP® 5 concepts as they relate to establishing a compliant system validation methodology. My next few blogs will focus on each of these concepts in more detail....

Clinical Research Solutions

Manage Speaker Program Risk More Effectively with a Needs Assessment

Over the past several years, pharmaceutical company Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs) have routinely required needs assessments in connection with the engagement of healthcare professionals...

Clinical Research Solutions

GAMP® 5 Basis for Quality System Compliance

Next week I’ll be in San Francisco conducting an ISPE training class on Risk Based Approach to GxP Process Control Systems. Attendees will include employees from a variety of regulated life cycle...

Process Validation: Gate Eight of the Nine Gate Transfer Process

Today we have the next phase of the Nine Gate Transfer Process: Gate 8 Process Validation. To review the previous steps before continuing, examine Gates 1-7 here: Gate 1: Assessment Gate 2:...

To Requalify or to Continuously Monitor, That is the Question

Your manufacturing equipment and processes have been established, qualified and validated; all you have to do now is rake in the profits right? Think again, the process of maintaining the validated...

Example of an submission process workflow.

Words, Words, Words: The Importance of Diction in Regulatory Submissions

In continuation of its series of guidances on electronic submissions, FDA recently released a guidance for receipt dates of electronic submissions which emphasizes one important fact: word choice...

Clinical Research Solutions

What’s the Skinny on Dietary Supplements?

One doesn't have to spend much time in a pharmacy, grocery store or even a typical American house to see that dietary supplements have found a place in people's lives. In fact, roughly 54% of U.S....

Understanding Statistical Intervals: Part 3 - Tolerance Intervals

We saw in Part 1 of this series how a confidence interval can be calculated to define a range within which the true value of a statistical parameter such as a mean or standard deviation is likely to...

The $142 Million Question: Will the Kaiser Judgment Encourage More Private Payor Actions for Off-Label Promotion?

If enforcement against pharmaceutical companies for off-label promotion by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) were not...

Clinical Research Solutions

Personalized Medicine – How Will the Batch Size Change Our Lives?

Hardly a week goes by without the announcement of a new scientific break-through in science and medicine that promises safer, more efficacious and personalized medicine. Where are all these...

Clinical Research Solutions

Understanding Statistical Intervals Part 1 - Confidence Intervals

Statistical intervals are staples of the quality and validation practitioner’s statistical tool box. Statistical intervals can manifest as plus-or-minus limits on test data, represent a margin of...

Why is CAPA so Important Anyway?

Corrective and preventive action (CAPA) can be viewed differently by employees within pharmaceuticals and medical device companies. Some see CAPAs as simply an onerous task given to them to complete...

Critical Process Parameters and Critical Quality Attributes: Why Does the Selection Process Take so Long?

Quick, can you name the top 10 Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) of your bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing process? Well if you hesitated don't feel bad. Most...

Quality & Compliance

Three Key Steps to Conducting a Strong Investigation

Unexpected events often happen in the everyday world. However, in the regulated world great efforts are made to minimize the severity and frequency of unexpected events. Yet, despite best efforts,...