Regulatory compliance is essential in all industries, but it is easier said than done. Regulatory agencies strictly monitor organizations to ensure they adhere to the applicable rules and regulations. In doing so, they conduct regular inspections, and companies can have difficulty dealing with the resulting remediation processes.
Regulatory inspection remediation is essential as it prevents fines and penalties and ensures a safe and healthy work environment. The remediation process involves a high degree of coordination, communication, and documentation within the organization. Companies that fail to comply with the statutes and regulations are exposed to catastrophic risks, reputation damage, and, most likely, legal action. In other words, regulatory inspection remediation is a critical aspect of business operations that must be handled with the utmost care and attention.
What is regulatory inspection remediation?
Regulatory inspection remediations refer to actions taken by a life science company to address any deficiencies or non-compliance issues identified during a regulatory inspection. Common deficiencies and non-compliances found in inspections are related to products, processes, facilities, types of equipment, document management systems, training, or personnel and can have a direct or indirect impact on the quality of the final product.
Regulatory inspections are a critical component of the life science industry, as they help ensure that products and processes are safe and effective for patients. However, a regulatory inspection can also be a source of stress and uncertainty for life science companies. If deficiencies or non-compliance issues are identified during an inspection, the company may be required to take remedial action to address the issues identified as early as possible. Such corrective and remedial actions can be time-consuming and might require modifications on a larger scale as well. If remedial actions are not taken within a given amount.
The process of regulatory inspection remediation can be a daunting task for life science companies, but it is a necessary step to maintain compliance with regulations and to ensure that products, product quality, and processes are safe and effective for patients.
Some common regulatory inspection remediations for life science companies may include:
Developing and implementing corrective action plans:
This may include identifying the root cause of the issue, implementing measures to prevent a recurrence, and monitoring progress to ensure that the corrective actions are effective. Companies must develop procedures for performing corrective or preventive actions (CAPA) and a standard protocol for investigating root causes, deviations, non-conformances, and complaints. Such procedures must comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulations to ensure that a product remains safe and of high quality.
Updating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other documentation:
This may include revising or creating SOPs to ensure compliance with regulations and updating other documentation such as training materials and product specifications. It is crucial for companies to periodically revise all their protocols and SOPs to ensure any changes made to the processes are reflected in the protocols. Companies must keep track of regulations and any updates to the quality standards. A periodic review of all policies, SOPs, and protocols must be conducted to ensure continual compliance with changing standards and regulations.
Conducting additional training:
It is crucial for companies to provide sufficient training and related resources to employees on all quality processes, and the importance of maintaining quality standards. This may include providing additional training for employees on existing or updated regulations and quality compliance, as well as on any new or revised SOPs and procedures. Companies can develop Learning Management Systems (LMS) that can provide training on all procedures and track training progress and metrics.
Conducting internal audits and inspections:
As part of the periodic review process, companies must also conduct regular internal audits and mock inspections, perform gap assessments and risk assessments of their facilities, manufacturing plants, lab facilities, quality management systems, quality manuals, and all other documentation systems to ensure that companies always stay compliant with quality standards and regulations as well identify any potential issues and perform remedial actions before they can become a major problem. It is also essential for companies to conduct such audits and inspections through external subject matter experts to get an unbiased review of their systems and processes.
Implementing quality management system:
Quality management systems (QMS) are essential to control the quality of products. A good quality management system helps companies achieve high-quality product realization, and ensure effective monitoring of the quality system and processes, thus ensuring continued suitability and capability of the processes as well as facilitating continual process improvements, reducing variations, and promoting quality system enhancements. Guidelines such as ICH Q10 can be considered by companies to establish an efficient quality system in place. Additionally, such systems also need to be compliant with relevant quality standards such as ISO and 21 CFR regulations.
It is important to note that regulatory inspection remediation is an ongoing process and not a one-time event. Life science companies should be proactive in identifying potential issues and taking steps to address them before they become a problem. By implementing a robust QMS, conducting regular internal audits and inspections, and providing training and education to employees, companies can ensure they are in compliance with regulations and are able to effectively navigate the regulatory inspection remediation process.
Looking for support with remediation? Our team is available to provide assistance.
PSC Biotech has been providing support to life science companies in all aspects of regulatory and quality compliance. PSC Biotech has experienced consultants well versed in all quality standards and regulations to help your company reach its quality goals.
PSC provides services such as developing, modifying, or reviewing quality processes such as change control, deviations, non-conformances, CAPA, technical writing services for developing, and modifying SOPs and protocols as well as gap assessments and risk assessments. PSC also has expertise in providing training materials and developing training procedures as part of quality compliance.
PSC has subject matter experts (SMEs) that can help conduct mock audits and inspections to help identify potential issues and provide support for remedial actions. PSC also has the expertise to develop efficient QMS for your company to stay compliant with all quality regulations and standards.
PSC provides services in regulatory affairs and compliance such as generating regulatory submissions or providing guidance to understand relevant regulations. Our in-house EDMS systems such as ACE, and ACE Essentials can help your company to establish a good quality system and monitor all quality processes.
Ready to learn more about working with us?
Contact PSC Biotech to address all your quality and regulatory compliance concerns.
