Last week the FDA published a notice of a public hearing and request for comments regarding the impact of any future changes made to the length and format of the National Drug Code (NDC). The current format of the NDC has been around since the early 1970s (see “Anatomy Of The National Drug Code”). It has served the FDA, healthcare professionals and patients well since that time, but it is showing its age. I call its affliction, “Identifier Failure” and I point out all of the symptoms for the aging NDC system in my essay “NDC Nearing Its End, Afflicted by ‘Identifier Failure’”.
Overall, these differences indicate that the FDA may be beginning to recognize how much ground they and the industry must cover between now and November of 2023, and it appears that has led them to get a little more rational. One meeting is not enough to establish a change in pattern, but if it eventually proves true, then this meeting would be the beginning of that change. A big injection of rationality is what happened in Brazil back in late 2016 (see “Brazil Gets Rational With Their New Pharma Traceability Law”) and that seems to have put them on a course for success. Could something similar be happening here? Continue reading FDA DSCSA Public Meeting #3: A Difference?→
There is a rare alignment of events that will happen in the first week of December that is so special that you need to put it on your calendar. There are two important pharma serialization events that will occur in the Washington DC area and anyone with a serious interest in that subject should attend both. These events line up perfectly to allow you to travel once, and spend four days that will solidify your understanding of the issues and opportunities embedded within the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) in particular, and pharma serialization in general. Continue reading Sponsored: Don’t Miss These Back-To-Back Pharma Serialization and Tracing Events→
Yesterday the FDA published a preview of two announcements related to the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). One was announcing a new pilot program, “…to assist in development of the electronic, interoperable system that will identify and trace certain prescription drugs as these are distributed within the United States.” That is, the system that will comprise the “Enhanced Drug Distribution Security” (EDDS) system in 2023. The other announcement was for a series of DSCSA public meetings—also intended to work on the system in 2023. Both announcements include a docket for use by stakeholders and the public to submit written comments to the FDA. Continue reading FDA Announces New DSCSA Pilot Program and Public Meeting Series→
…a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between healthcare supply chains, track and trace technology, standards and global regulatory compliance
DISCLAIMER: RxTrace contains some of the personal thoughts, ideas and opinions of Dirk Rodgers. The material contained in RxTrace is not legal advice. Dirk Rodgers is not a lawyer. The reader must make their own decisions about the accuracy of the opinions expressed in RxTrace. Readers are encouraged to consult their own legal counsel and trading partners before taking any actions based on information found in RxTrace. RxTrace is not a vehicle for communicating the positions of any company, organization or individual other than Dirk Rodgers.