Tag Archives: deadlines

DSCSA

DSCSA: Will 2020 Be FDA’s Year To Leap Forward?

When it comes to the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), the FDA seems to alternate between hibernating, and leaping forward.  2017 through mid-2018 was a leap forward period with the publication of 8 draft or final guidance documents and 3 public meetings.  Then in 2019, hibernation.  Yes, FDA’s list of DSCSA guidance and policy documents has two entries for 2019 so far, but one is simply a notice reopening the comment period on the DSCSA Pilots request for information that was originally opened in 2016 and 2017.  The other is the compliance policy that provides one year of enforcement discretion for the 2019 wholesaler saleable returns requirement (see “No Surprise: DSCSA Verification Delay”).  Neither were very taxing on the FDA to prepare.  What should the FDA do next?  What should they be doing right now?

Continue reading DSCSA: Will 2020 Be FDA’s Year To Leap Forward? →
Traceability

Sponsored: IQPC: The Biggest Challenges Preparing For The DSCSA

Kevan MacKenzie, Director of Serialization Technology at McKesson

Kevan MacKenzie, Director of Serialization Technology at McKesson, is arguably the leading expert on the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) requirements for wholesale distributors, and interactions with their trading partners.  IQPC recently interviewed Mr. MacKenzie to get his perspectives on the biggest challenges companies face when preparing for the DSCSA.

MacKenzie’s insights will Continue reading Sponsored: IQPC: The Biggest Challenges Preparing For The DSCSA →

DSCSA

DSCSA Cascading Delays

Last week I covered the likely impact of the recent draft compliance policy currently under a 60-day public comment period (see “DSCSA and RxTrace: The Song Remains The Same“).  This week, I will take a look at its likely impact on downstream trading partners, including repackagers, wholesale distributors and dispensers.

Under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), these organizations have specific obligations to only engage in transactions with product that has the DSCSA-mandated product identifier (serial number) on it (see “The DSCSA Product Identifier On Drug Packages“).  And when investigating suspect product or receiving saleable returns, they must Continue reading DSCSA Cascading Delays →

DSCSA, RxTrace

DSCSA and RxTrace: The Song Remains The Same

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Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains The Same album coverDrug manufacturers facing the November 27, 2017 deadline for applying unique identifiers to their products should take care when interpreting the FDA’s recent draft compliance policy.  All the headlines scream (including last week’s RxTrace essay:  “FDA Delays Enforcement of DSCSA November Deadline: What It Means”) that the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) serialization deadline is delayed, but there are important nuances to the delay.  Don’t just read the headlines, read the whole articles.  Officially, the deadline remains the same.  Yes, the FDA will look the other way for some drugs, but for others, the deadline still appears to apply.  How do you know if your drugs are those where the deadline still applies?  Read on. Continue reading DSCSA and RxTrace: The Song Remains The Same →

Deadlines

FDA Delays UDI and FSMA: What About DSCSA?

Image of November 27, 2017 calendarA 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? →

FDA Guidance

Is The FDA Intentionally Delaying Publication Of The Overdue DSCSA Guidance?

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Last week I wrote about the recent FDA DSCSA Public Meeting where the FDA asked for reports on the progress of the industry toward meeting the November 27, 2017 serialization requirements contained in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) (see “FDA Forfeits Opportunity To Guide Industry”).  In that essay I expressed a view that the FDA has squandered too much of the time necessary for the industry to meet whatever guidance they might offer about grandfathering and exceptions for products that are too small to accommodate a DSCSA product identifier.  These guidance documents are now 11 months late.

What if the delay in publishing these guidance documents is intentional? Continue reading Is The FDA Intentionally Delaying Publication Of The Overdue DSCSA Guidance? →

ANVISA

Sponsored: Brazil Officially Suspends All Remaining Serialization Deadlines Of RDC-54

iqpc-serial-labeling-playbook-2016Apparently, the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA), Brazil’s pharma regulatory body, has passed a resolution that finally suspends all remaining serialization deadlines that were left over in their old RDC-54 regulation.  Remember that they suspended the deadline for the 3-lot pilot from RDC-54 last year (see “The Official Suspension of the Three-Lot Pilot in Brazil“).  I consider this news to be a “rumor” only because I have not yet seen the official word, despite having heard it from a very reliable source.

This is not Continue reading Sponsored: Brazil Officially Suspends All Remaining Serialization Deadlines Of RDC-54 →