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Preparing for eCTD 4.0: What FDA Submitters Need to Know

Why Early Planning Matters for Regulatory Operations

While it’s only been a handful of years since eCTD Version 3.2.2 became the standard submission format for all major components of US regulatory applications, changes are on the horizon for eCTD. In September 2024, FDA announced support for eCTD...

Regulatory Sciences

FDA Prepares for GDUFA Commitments with Controlled Correspondence Guidance

With the implementation of GDUFA, FDA defined the rules and specific protocol for submitting controlled correspondence to the Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) in a draft guidance published on August 27,...

Quality & Compliance

Environmental Monitoring: The Top 3 Points to Consider

When a biopharmaceutical company builds new or renovates existing manufacturing space, the last consideration before turning the production key is the environmental monitoring of the same. This short...

Regulatory Sciences

FDA Aims to Standardize REMS Programs

On September 23, FDA released a report regarding “Standardizing and Evaluating Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS)”. This fulfills FDA’s PDUFA commitment to issue a report of findings...

Quality & Compliance

Using Propagation of Error to Determine Validation Acceptance Criteria for In-Process Measurements

Many times in validation I am confronted with the problem of how to set acceptance criteria for critical process measurements. This is particularly true of in process measurements made during...

Sneak Preview: What Will the Quality Metrics Initiative Look Like?

I had lunch in a restaurant the other day. During my meal, I noticed that there weren't many other customers. I didn't give it much thought until I walked out and read the restaurant's hygiene grade...

Is social media the next monitoring emphasis for the OIG?

In June 2014, the FDA issued two draft social media guidance documents that may not clearly answer all of the questions that the drug and device industries have about how to use social media to...

FDA Updates Informed Consent Guidance

FDA recently updated its informed consent guidance in the form of an Information Sheet. The new document reflects the Agency’s current thinking on the informed consent process utilized in...

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Regulatory Sciences

New 510(k) Guidance Bans 'Split Predicates'

Medical device manufacturers may need to re-think their approach to demonstrating substantial equivalence (SE) in the 510(k) notification process, due to the FDA’s recent finalization of the guidance...

Quality & Compliance

Are you moaning about cleaning?

From time to time in this industry, you will hear someone bemoaning the fact that they have to do a cleaning validation. If this happens to be you, have no fear and remember the following five points...

Quality & Compliance

The Difference Between Quality and Compliance, Part II

In our previous blog, "The Difference between Quality and Compliance", I mentioned that there are recent initiatives underfoot that FDA hopes will create FDA-industry partnerships, increase...

Quality & Compliance

Outsourcing Facilities and GMP: The Validation Challenge

Compounding is a practice in which a licensed pharmacist, a licensed physician, or, in the case of an outsourcing facility, a person under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, combines, mixes,...

Quality & Compliance

The Difference Between Quality and Compliance

In case you haven’t noticed, FDA is tired of being the “bad guy”. While they do not back-off of their responsibility to enforce the applicable Code of Federal Regulations for a millisecond, their...

Quality & Compliance

GAMP® 5 Concept 2 – System Life Cycle

So far in our series on GAMP 5 we’ve provided a high level overview of the five major GAMP concepts, and a more in depth discussion of Concept 1, Process Knowledge and Understanding. In this...

Quality & Compliance

CMO Selection Process

Today, more pharmaceutical companies are turning to outsourcing their products as a strategic part of their business model. There are a number of drivers for this shift to soliciting the services of...

Who Owns Quality?

When it comes to the Healthcare industry (e.g. pharmaceuticals, medical devices, dietary supplements, etc.) who owns a company's Quality Assurance practices? Without a doubt the Quality organization...

What to Expect During the NDA Review Process

Compiling and submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) submission is a complicated and intensive activity. Once you have submitted your application to FDA, you may be curious about what can you expect...

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The End of the FDA's Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program

What’s Next for Rare Disease Innovation? For children suffering from rare and often life-threatening diseases, access to new and effective treatments can mean the difference between life and death....

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Safety Data Exchange Agreements (SDEAs) and Pharmacovigilance Agreements (PVAs) – An Overview

A Safety Data Exchange Agreement (SDEA) or Pharmacovigilance Agreement (PVA) is a legal written contract which ensures that all safety data, PV tasks and responsibilities are detailed between two or...

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FDA's Expedited Programs Explained

In order to incentivize the development of therapies (drugs biologics) to fill unmet medical needs for treatment of serious conditions, the FDA has developed various programs to expedite drug...

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What are Patient Support Programs?

Patient Support Programs (PSPs)  in the pharmaceutical sector offer a range of services to help patients start and adhere to their therapies, including Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs), patient...

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Regulatory Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC): What to Expect During Drug Development

The key to successful drug development in the US is directional and focused navigation of FDA’s Investigational New Drug (IND) process. The Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) section is a...