As you have read, the FDA has let it slip, with a draft guidance document, that they have decided not to enforce the DSCSA’s November 27, 2017 deadline for manufacturers to apply the new serialized product identifier on drug packages and verification requirements for one year, but it also contains cascading enforcement delays (see “FDA Tea Leaves: Are They About To Delay The November Deadline?”). This is a major move by the FDA and it will have important consequences for the industry. Let’s break it down. Continue reading FDA Delays Enforcement of DSCSA November Deadline: What It Means
Blockchain Reigns At GS1 Connect 2017
Maybe I’m just hyper sensitive to all things blockchain right now, but it sure seemed like the topic of blockchain permeated the sessions and the halls at last week’s GS1 Connect conference, GS1 US’s annual membership event. Oddly, all of the official blockchain content was outside the Healthcare track. The technology is certainly applicable in all industries and apparently there is interest in it outside of the healthcare vertical within GS1 US. But what I observed there leads me to think we are very close to an important tipping point. Continue reading Blockchain Reigns At GS1 Connect 2017
Two-For-One FDA Guidance Docs
Back in February I noted the steep drop in public inspection documents posted by the FDA immediately after President Trump took office (see “One Immediate Impact of President Trump On The FDA”). For that essay I created a graph that clearly showed the steep drop. But that was only one month after the new President took office. What has happened since then? This week I updated my graph so we can see how things are progressing. Continue reading Two-For-One FDA Guidance Docs
Serial Number Bonding
There are some discontinuities between the needs of the industry for meeting serialization regulations around the world and certain GS1 standards, including their Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) and Core Business Vocabulary (CBV) standards. I’ve already pointed out the issue of EPCIS expecting everyone who uses it to possess, by default, a GS1 Global Location Number (GLN) (see “GLN: The Lowly Identifier That Could Kill The Use Of EPCIS For Pharma Regulatory Compliance”). Here is one more. Continue reading Serial Number Bonding
FDA Delays UDI and FSMA: What About DSCSA?
A few weeks ago I predicted that the FDA would soon announce a delay in enforcement of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) November 27, 2017 deadline for serialization of drug packages (see “FDA Tea Leaves: Are They About To Delay The November Deadline?”, see also “Breaking: FDA Official Offers Advice In Absence Of DSCSA Waiver Guidance”). As I said, I don’t have any “inside information”, I’m just looking at the evidence that we can all see. I provided links to the public information I used for evidence so you can decide for yourself. Don’t just take my word for it. It is entirely speculation.
Now there is new evidence that the FDA is in a “delay” mood these days. In the last 4 business days the FDA has Continue reading FDA Delays UDI and FSMA: What About DSCSA?
New Must-Read DSCSA Resource
Last week, GS1 US published a free DSCSA resource that every RxTrace reader must have. It’s called “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by the Pharmaceutical Industry in Preparing for the U.S. DSCSA” and it can be downloaded free after registration. Do it now, then come back and finish reading this essay.
The document is 42 pages in PDF form and it Continue reading New Must-Read DSCSA Resource
Brazil Publishes RDC-157 To Regulate 2017 3-Lot Pilot
On May 11, 2017, ANVISA formally published RDC-157/2017 that will serve as the regulations for their 3-Lot Pilot that is to take place in 2017. We’ve been expecting this new RDC around this time because they were required by the recent Law Number 13.410 of December 28, 2016 (see “Brazil Gets Rational With Their New Pharma Traceability Law”). ANVISA also held a “public consultation” to allow the public to review and comment on an earlier draft of what is now RDC-157/2016 (see “ANVISA Reveals Draft Serialization Regulation and Asks For Comments”). The newly adopted RDC-157 is clearly intended to guide the pilot and then ANVISA intends to update it as part of their analysis of the pilot results. They will likely go through another public consultation before they make it a final regulation that all companies will need to follow. Bottom line, if you are not part of the 3-Lot Pilot, don’t start implementing a solution until Continue reading Brazil Publishes RDC-157 To Regulate 2017 3-Lot Pilot
Thank You Peggy Staver!
Today, Peggy Staver will officially retire from Pfizer, after a career of 35 years. Those of us who have worked on figuring out how to implement anti-counterfeiting solutions that work in the U.S. pharma supply chain over the last 15 years or so will miss her friendly, inquisitive and steady voice very much. Continue reading Thank You Peggy Staver!