In a Warning Letter addressed to a US-American pharmaceutical manufacturer, the FDA points out various deficiencies in aseptic production. Among other things, deficiencies are described in the design of equipment and rooms, airflow and visual inspection.
Elastomers for Pharmaceutical Packaging and Manufacturing
Following the recently adopted USP general chapter <665> for plastic materials used in manufacturing, the USP now published two draft chapters for elastomers for pharmaceutical packaging and manufacturing.
Numerous GMP Deficiencies at OTC Manufacturer in Puerto Rico
The USA FDA has issued a Warning Letter to a pharmaceutical manufacturer for failing to adequately address numerous deficiencies identified during an inspection.
Without airlocks between cleanroom areas of different cleanroom classes, no flow of material or personnel would be possible. But what are the GMP or purity requirements for airlocks?
EDQM Survey: TOC to replace Test for oxidisable Substances in Sterile WFI
The EDQM has launched a survey on whether the test for oxidisable substances for sterilised water for injection (Sterile WFI) in the European Pharmacopoeia should be changed to a test for total organic carbon (TOC). Read more.
ECA comments on FDA Guideline on Visual Inspection
In December 2021, the FDA published its long-awaited Draft Guideline on 100% Visual Inspection of Parenterals. Comments were accepted until mid-February 2022. Members of the Advisory Board of the ECA Visual Inspection Group took advantage of this opportunity and submitted numerous comments.
The PIC/S (Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme) already published a new version of its GMP Guide PE016 in February. This is due to the revision of the EU regulation on clinical trials. There is also a new annex on certification by a Qualified Person and batch release.
Plastic Components Used in Manufacturing: USP extends Official Date for <665>
To address inquires and to give USP more time to engage with stakeholders regarding the suitability of making <665> an applicable general chapter, the USP intends to extend the official date for <665> to May 1, 2026.
Requirements for Plastics in Pharmaceutical Equipment Engineering
Stainless steel is predominantly used in pharmaceutical equipment engineering. The 316L variant is basically regarded as standard; material incompatibilities of the steel with the product are more or less neglected. This is different with plastics. In addition to leach-out, aging and surface finish, other quality characteristics are often specified. But are there generally applicable requirements for plastics in pharmaceutical equipment engineering?
FDA publishes Draft Guidance on Visual Inspection of Parenterals
It has been known for some time that the US FDA is working on its own guide on the visual inspection of parenterals. Now the draft has been published as a 15-page document.
Inspection Deficiencies in Process Equipment increase
The US FDA reports deficiencies during inspections in the so-called Form 483s. These reports are partly public, and the FDA subjects them to trending by key points. The evaluation of the last year 2020 shows a significant increase in inspection deficiencies with regard to equipment.
Particles lead to Warning Letter for Japanese Sterile Manufacturer
The frequent occurrence of particles in sterile injection solutions and the inadequate investigation of the cause led to a Warning Letter to a sterile manufacturer in Japan. In addition, data integrity breaks and falsifications had occurred in the environmental monitoring.
What is the Optimal Temperature for Sanitizing Water Systems?
Thermal sanitization is still the most common method for keeping pharmaceutical water plants under microbiological control. Some systems are stored at high temperatures - but often water systems are heated up cyclically to an elevated, germicidal temperature. Here, the question of optimal temperature often arises.