FDA Extends Dispenser Delay in DSCSA Enforcement

FDALogoEarly this morning the FDA published a revised version of its “DSCSA Implementation: Product Tracing Requirements for Dispensers — Compliance Policy“, originally published on July 6, 2015 (see “FDA Publishes New Guidance Delaying Dispenser 3T Requirements Until November 1, 2015“).  That original document established the FDA’s intention to exercise “enforcement discretion” on dispenser transactions that fall under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) dispenser requirements to receive Transaction Information (TI),Transaction History (TH) and a Transaction Statement (TS) until November 1, 2015, a four month delay in enforcement.

The revision published today pushes Continue reading FDA Extends Dispenser Delay in DSCSA Enforcement

The Official Suspension of the Three-Lot Pilot in Brazil

395px-Coat_of_arms_of_Brazil.svgOn October 23, 2015, a very brief resolution was published in the Official Diary of the Union (Diário Oficial da União) (Brazil’s equivalent to the U.S. Federal Register) which formally suspends the 3-lot track and trace pilot that drug registration-holders were formerly required to complete by December 10 of this year (see “Brazil Suspends Pharma Serialization And Tracing Requirements”).  Apparently, that makes it official.  The new resolution is numbered RDC-45 and it is dated October 22, 2015.  Of course, this new resolution is only available officially in Portuguese, but here is an unofficial translation of its core contents in English: Continue reading The Official Suspension of the Three-Lot Pilot in Brazil

Aggregation –> Chargeback Accuracy –> ROI

Last week I attended my favorite annual conference on pharma serialization and tracing in the U.S.:  The Healthcare Distribution Management Association’s (HDMA) Traceability Seminar.  They call it a “seminar” because the subject of the sessions are generally the same every year, but it is better than any other third-party conference, primarily because the right people attend it:  lots of people from drug manufacturers, wholesale distributors and some dispensers.  With this ideal spectrum of attendees, it is very easy to get your questions answered, in the hallway between sessions if not in the sessions themselves.

Of course, every year the folks from the FDA who are directly responsible for writing regulations related to the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) provide Continue reading Aggregation –> Chargeback Accuracy –> ROI

More Thoughts On FDA and ANVISA

More ThoughtsOne of the problems with trying to respond overnight to big announcements made by regulators is that it’s easy to leave something significant out.  And in the ensuing days you find out what you should have included in those original essays.  That’s what happened with my two essays from last week:  “Brazil Suspends Pharma Serialization And Tracing Requirements” and “FDA Posts Wholesale Distributor and 3PL License Database“.

So let me add a few more thoughts and observations regarding Continue reading More Thoughts On FDA and ANVISA

FDA Posts Wholesale Distributor and 3PL License Database

FDALogoYesterday the U.S. FDA posted the first issue of the wholesale distributor and third-party logistics provider (3PL) database as mandated by the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA).  Through this webpage, you can either download the entire database (in .XLS form), or enter a specific query and then download that result set if desired.  I couldn’t get the result set download to work, so there are obviously some bugs that need to get worked out, but this is still an important step in the implementation of the DSCSA.

With this posting, anyone who buys drugs Continue reading FDA Posts Wholesale Distributor and 3PL License Database

Brazil Suspends Pharma Serialization And Tracing Requirements

ANVISA logoLast week, Brazil’s pharma industry regulatory agency, the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA), announced that they were “suspending” at least part of RDC-54/2013, the declaration that mandated drug serialization and tracing, until further notice.  Thank you to all who forwarded the link to the official announcement.  I was able to translate and read it on Thursday, and I submitted a comment on my own last essay, “Pharma Serialization Deadlines In Flux“, to include the link.  Apparently shortly after that essay was published, ANVISA  Continue reading Brazil Suspends Pharma Serialization And Tracing Requirements

Sponsored: Pharma Serialization Deadlines In Flux

iqpc.zoomThe industry is rife with rumors that Brazil’s ANVISA has made the decision to push out their serialization deadline for multiple years—and perhaps redefine the requirements.  I cannot confirm any of these rumors at this point and I do not recommend acting on rumors.  I suggest you continue down the path of meeting the existing, known regulation until—if ever—you get the official word from an official publication of ANVISA.  Who knows when that might occur.  If/when you see something official, let me know. Continue reading Sponsored: Pharma Serialization Deadlines In Flux