Last week the FDA announced it will coordinate one or more pilot(s) to assist in the development of the electronic, interoperable system that will identify and trace drugs in the U.S. under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) in its Enhanced Drug Distribution Security (EDDS) phase starting in 2023. Once they start work on pilot planning, they will call for proposals from stakeholders and others. But they can’t start until they get permission from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and they won’t even ask OMB for permission until they collect comments on the proposed collection of information associated with establishing the pilot program. Believe it or not, that was the Continue reading What Should FDA Pilot?
Tag Archives: Pharma Supply Chain
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
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
FDA Tea Leaves: Are They About To Delay The November Deadline?
I don’t have any hard evidence, but there are some interesting things out there that just might point to a coming delay in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) November 27, 2017 deadline for drug manufacturer serialization and electronic transaction data exchange. Let’s call them “tea leaves”, and let me attempt to “read” them. They might turn out to be meaningless, so don’t take any action based on such speculation. And if you know something more, or interpret something differently, leave a message.
During the Cold War the U.S. government and the press attempted to figure out what was going on in the Soviet Union by paying attention to who was standing next to whom during military parades. Our exercise might see a little like that. Continue reading FDA Tea Leaves: Are They About To Delay The November Deadline?
Is Your Drug Too Small For The Mandated 2D Barcode?
RxTrace readers are already well aware that multiple new laws around the world will require prescription drug manufacturers to put a new 2D barcode on their products in the next few years. But what if your drug package is too small to fit the new mandated 2D barcode and human readable information on the label? Let’s take a look at what the regulations say in the E.U., Brazil and the United States. From that, we can come up with some strategies. Continue reading Is Your Drug Too Small For The Mandated 2D Barcode?
InBrief: Why The DSCSA Will Be Enforced Even Without FDA Guidance
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