Will Manufacturers Have Trouble Verifying Some Drugs Next Year?

I recently wrote about several letters sent to the FDA by the Pharmaceutical Distribution Security Alliance (PDSA) regarding the overdue guidance documents (see “In Absence Of FDA Guidance, Follow PDSA Recommendations”).  I highly recommend that you read those letters.  But there was one letter from the PDSA to the FDA that I did not reference in that essay because it is not related to missing guidance.  Instead, it’s about PDSA’s fear about the potential inability of some manufacturers to verify, in the DSCSA sense, certain drugs between now and November of 2019.  To be exact, the type of verification they are worried about is the kind that will be based on a drug’s Standardized Numerical Identifier (SNI). Continue reading Will Manufacturers Have Trouble Verifying Some Drugs Next Year?

InBrief: Why The DSCSA Will Be Enforced Even Without FDA Guidance

New Regulations comic
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As you are already well aware, the FDA is long overdue to publish four different guidance documents covering various aspects of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), as mandated by Congress (see “Who Is Being Harmed By Four Overdue FDA DSCSA Guidances?”).  At least two of those guidance documents would affect how companies should expect to comply with the serialization deadline on November 27, 2017. 

If the FDA doesn’t publish on or before that date, does that mean you don’t need to comply on time?  Can you just sit back and wait for the FDA to post those guidance documents someday?  I don’t think so.  Here’s why. Continue reading InBrief: Why The DSCSA Will Be Enforced Even Without FDA Guidance

In Absence Of FDA Guidance, Follow PDSA Recommendations

PDSA LogoThe Pharmaceutical Distribution Security Alliance (PDSA) is a coalition of companies and organizations dedicated to the safety and integrity of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain.  When the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) went into effect on November 27, 2013 the PDSA began to serve as a voice for its members in communications with the U.S. FDA.  Their preferred way of communication is through formal letters signed by their legal advisor, Vince Ventimiglia.  PDSA letters to the FDA are really interesting because they do an excellent job of providing recommendations for the FDA to consider as they prepared to publish the four guidance documents that were due back on November 27, 2015.  The FDA has still not published those documents.  Continue reading In Absence Of FDA Guidance, Follow PDSA Recommendations

Ken Traub (1963 – 2017)

Photo of Ken Traub
Ken Traub

Like all of you, I was incredibly shocked and sad to hear that my friend and occasional collaborator Ken Traub passed away on Sunday.  My heart and prayers go out to his wife and son.  Ken will be remembered for a long time by people all over the world because of  the depth of his technical knowledge, the clarity of his writing, the impact of his succinct speaking, the creativity of his thinking, the passion he had for solving complex problems, and the love in his heart. 

According to Brezniak-Rodman Funeral Directors, the memorial service will be held at Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln Rd., Lexington, on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 11:00 am.  Memorial contributions may be made to any cancer charity.

I’ve known Ken for a few Continue reading Ken Traub (1963 – 2017)

Can Anyone Buy Non-Serialized Drugs After 11-27-2019?

Image of a package of non-serialized drugsWell over a year ago, my good friend Kevan MacKenzie, Director, Serialization Technology with McKesson, pointed out a really interesting discrepancy contained in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) regarding the sale of non-serialized drugs.  I’ve been meaning to write about it since then.  The topic finally bubbled up to the top on my list.

What Kevan pointed out is that there are two sections of the DSCSA that contain slightly conflicting requirements.  This leaves companies Continue reading Can Anyone Buy Non-Serialized Drugs After 11-27-2019?