so Hawaii Man Sentenced to 87 Months Imprisonment for Communicating Classified National Defense Information to Unauthorized Person By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 17:50:08 EDT Benjamin Pierce Bishop, 60, a former Honolulu, Hawaii, civilian defense contractor and retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to serve 87 months imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for willfully communicating classified national defense information to a person not authorized to receive it and unlawfully retaining classified national defense information at his home. Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates Delivers Remarks at American Banking Association and American Bar Association Money Laundering Enforcement Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 11:45:40 EST Remarks as prepared for delivery Thank you, Buddy [Wilmer Parker], for that kind introduction Full Article Speech
so Owner of Three Los Angeles Clinics Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Medicare Fraud By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 5 Jan 2016 11:45:28 EST The former owner and operator of three medical clinics located in Los Angeles was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme that submitted more than $4 Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Former Idaho Construction Company President Sentenced to Prison for Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 8 Feb 2016 20:45:26 EST The former president and majority stockholder of a construction company was sentenced to five years in prison today following her plea of guilty to filing a false tax return and her conviction by a jury of conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, mail fraud, false statements, interstate transportation of property taken by fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson for the District of Idaho. Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Norfolk Man Sentenced to Prison for Mail and Wire Fraud By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:45:25 EDT NEWPORT NEWS, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Former SunTrust Mortgage VP and Loan Officers Sentenced to Prison By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 2 May 2016 08:45:35 EDT ALEXANDRIA, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Prison for Workers’ Comp Fraud By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 5 May 2016 08:45:25 EDT NORFOLK, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Three Men Sentenced to Prison for Credit Card Fraud Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Jun 2016 11:45:50 EDT RICHMOND, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Former Loudoun County Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to Prison By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Jun 2016 20:45:22 EDT ALEXANDRIA, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so Toano Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating a Federal Agent By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 24 Jun 2016 20:45:27 EDT NEWPORT NEWS, Va Full Article OPA Press Releases
so New FDA Guidances for November and December 2019 and Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:36:51 +0000 By Alice Li, MD, MSc, RAC(CAN), Regulatory Scientist, Cato Research Special Interest Guidances/Information Date Posted Guidance for Industry: Serving Sizes of Foods That Can Reasonably Be Consumed At One Eating Occasion, Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed, Serving Size-Related Issues, Dual-Column Labeling, and Miscellaneous Topics – Final Guidance 30 Dec 2019 Submission of Plans for Cigarette Packages … Continue reading » Full Article FDA Regulatory Guidances FDA Guidances
so New FDA Gudiances for January 2020 and Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Feb 2020 20:21:28 +0000 By Sheila Plant, PhD, MHS, RAC, Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy, CATO SMS Special Interest Guidances/Information Date Posted Recommendations to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease by Blood and Blood Components; Draft Guidance for Industry: Draft Guidance for Industry – Draft Guidance 30 Jan 2020 Arthroscopy Pump Tubing Sets … Continue reading » Full Article FDA FDA Regulatory Guidances Rare Diseases Regulatory Affairs Cato Research FDA Guidances rare diseases
so New FDA Gudiances for February 2020 and Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:28:34 +0000 By Sheila Plant, PhD, MHS, RAC, Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy, CATO SMS Special Interest Guidances/Information Date Posted Policy for Diagnostics Testing in Laboratories Certified to Perform High Complexity Testing under CLIA prior to Emergency Use Authorization for Coronavirus Disease-2019 during the Public Health Emergency: Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories and Food and … Continue reading » Full Article FDA Regulatory Guidances CATOSMS FDA FDA Guidances Regulatory Authorities
so New FDA Gudiances for March 2020 and Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 06 Apr 2020 20:00:27 +0000 By Sheila Plant, PhD, MHS, RAC, Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy, CATO SMS FDA guidances from March 2020 as well as upcoming advisory committee meeting announcements are below. We note that approximately one-third of FDA’s guidances this past month are related to COVID-19. Special Interest Guidances/Information Date Posted Enforcement Policy for Gowns, Other Apparel, and … Continue reading » Full Article FDA Regulatory Guidances Cato Research FDA FDA Guidances
so New FDA Gudiances for April 2020 and Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 21:21:17 +0000 By Zachary Swan, PhD, RAC, Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs at CATO SMS Special Interest Guidances/Information Date Posted Exemption and Exclusion from Certain Requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Guidance for Industry – Final Guidance 30 April 2020 FDA Deems Certain Tobacco Products Subject to FDA Authority, … Continue reading » Full Article FDA Regulatory Guidances CATO SMS FDA Guidances
so Lupin Pharma: Phase 3 Trial Of Single-Dose Solosec Met Primary Endpoint By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 11:56:29 GMT Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LUPIN, 500257) on Monday announced positive top-line results from its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of single-dose Solosec or secnidazole 2g oral granules in 147 female patients with trichomoniasis. Full Article
so Axsome Therapeutics (AXSM) Advances To Cross $100-Mark By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:45:29 GMT Axsome Therapeutics Inc.'s (AXSM) phase II/III trial of investigational drug AXS-05 in Alzheimer's disease agitation has met the primary endpoint. Full Article
so Avadel (AVDL) Soars On REST-ON Trial Results By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 12:11:18 GMT Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc's (AVDL) pivotal phase III trial evaluating FT218 for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy has met its three co-primary efficacy endpoints at all three doses. Full Article
so HIAs and Other Resources to Advance Health-Informed Decisions By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:08:46 Z The Health Impact Project’s toolkit contains resources that help communities, agencies, and other organizations take action to improve public health. The toolkit offers a collection of health impact assessments, guides, and other research to support policymakers’ efforts to consider health when making decisions across sectors, such as housing, planning, and education. Full Article
so Policy Priorities to Address Opioid Use Disorder By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 07:00:00 -0400 Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) struggle to get effective care: Of 2 million Americans with the illness, only 26% receive treatment. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic presents an added strain on the U.S. health care system, it is creating greater hardships for those seeking OUD treatment. Full Article
so How States and Counties Can Help Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder Re-Enter Communities By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 07:00:00 -0400 At least 95 percent of individuals in state prisons will eventually return to communities. In fact, in a typical year more than half a million people do so, with many more coming from jails. A disproportionate share of these individuals have one or more chronic illnesses. Full Article
so Care Coordination Strategies for Patients Can Improve Substance Use Disorder Outcomes By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:17:00 -0400 Care coordination is considered a hallmark of patient-centered treatment and has been shown to improve health outcomes and patient satisfaction as well as reduce costs. Defined as organizing patient care activities and sharing information among all participants concerned with an individual’s treatment plan in order to achieve safer and more effective results, care coordination is increasingly... Full Article
so Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Jails and Prisons By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:35:00 -0400 The most effective therapy for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) involves the use of Food and Drug Administration-approved medications—methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Despite evidence that this approach, known as medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), reduces relapse and saves lives, the vast majority of jails and prisons do not offer this treatment. This brief examines what... Full Article
so Some Indicators of Public Health in Philadelphia Had Improved Before COVID-19 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:57:00 -0400 The spread of COVID-19 is placing unprecedented strain on Philadelphia’s hospitals, public health systems, and residents. Although the full effects of the emergency have yet to be realized, newly released data from 2018 and 2019 provides insight on the state of public health in the city before the pandemic. Full Article
so More Outpatient Treatment Needed for Opioid Use Disorder By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 07:00:00 -0400 The treatment gap continues to be an obstacle in addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) in the U.S. In 2018, an estimated 2 million Americans had OUD but only about 26% received specialty addiction treatment. Full Article
so BioPharma M&A Drives More Efficient Resource Allocation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 13:01:16 +0000 M&A is an omnipresent reality in the biopharma industry, from Big Pharma mega-mergers to smaller acquisitions of emerging startups. We’ve recently witnessed several large M&A transactions get closed or announced, including BMS-Celgene, Takeda-Shire, and AbbVie-Allergan; according to BMO Capital Markets The post BioPharma M&A Drives More Efficient Resource Allocation appeared first on LifeSciVC. Full Article Biotech financing Capital efficiency Capital markets Exits IPOs M&As External R&D Pharma industry R&D Productivity Biotech M&A M&A Pharma M&A Pharma mega-merger
so Ordinary People Achieving The Extraordinary: Lessons In Leadership From The Court To The C-suite By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 10:37:19 +0000 This blog was written by Josh Brumm, CEO of Dyne Therapeutics, as part of the From The Trenches feature of LifeSciVC. I stood in front of 15 skeptical parents and prepared to sell them on an improbable mission. They had The post Ordinary People Achieving The Extraordinary: Lessons In Leadership From The Court To The C-suite appeared first on LifeSciVC. Full Article From The Trenches Leadership
so BASF Launches Breakthrough Absorption Technology as GOED Raises Bioavailability Challenge to Omega-3 Industry By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 05 Feb 2018 18:39:00 GMT BASF recently announced the launch of Accelon™ absorption accelerating technology, developed as a breakthrough solution to the bioavailability challenge of today’s omega-3 supplements. Full Article
so Organic Trade Association and The Organic Center Applaud Senate Bill, Organic Agriculture Research By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Feb 2018 22:38:00 GMT The Organic Trade Association and The Organic Center on Thursday applauded Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) for introducing The Organic Agriculture Research Act of 2018. Full Article
so Emport LLC New Training Resources for Professional Kitchens By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Feb 2018 22:58:00 GMT Emport LLC is pleased to introduce new training programs and materials to augment its food safety and allergen control portfolio. Full Article
so Study: Eating almonds may help lower CVD risk factors and associated healthcare costs By www.foodnavigator-usa.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:39:00 +0100 A recent study conducted by researchers at Tufts University suggests that consuming 1.5 ounces of almonds per day, compared to no almond consumption, may help reduce CVD risk factors such as elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and as a result, reduce an individual's healthcare costs associated with treating such conditions. Full Article Research
so Winner of 2019 APEC Photo Contest Also Wins Popular Choice Award By www.apec.org Published On :: Sun, 08 Dec 2019 12:24:00 +0800 The winner of the APEC Photo Contest 2019 has also won the most votes for the Popular Choice Award, announced the APEC Secretariat. Full Article
so Software Developers Invited to Join 2020 APEC App Challenge By www.apec.org Published On :: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:00:00 +0800 The challenge: Innovative mobile apps and platforms that empower the aging society Full Article
so RE: Sort It Out by participating in the RAPS Tagging Project By connect.raps.org Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 09:44:05 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumHi everyone, I just finished it, and it is a really simple task! Go ahead! Thanks Anna --------------------------------- Anna Alonzi MD Sr. Regulatory Associate Newtown PA United States --------------------------------- Full Article Discussion
so RE: Sort It Out by participating in the RAPS Tagging Project By connect.raps.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 09:00:51 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumThank you all for participating in our Tagging Project! We're glad to hear you enjoyed it. All volunteers were entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card. See a video of the drawing attached. I'm happy to announce that the winner is ... @Jonathan Amaya-Hodges ! Thanks again to all who participated. If you're interested in more volunteer opportunities, see our full list here . ------------------------------ Danielle Fezell Manager, Chapter & Volunteer Relations, RAPS Rockville MD United [More] Files Attached DocumentRE: Sort It Out by participating in the RAPS Tagging Project Full Article Discussion
so RE: Sort It Out by participating in the RAPS Tagging Project By connect.raps.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 09:25:53 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumThank you RAPS, what a pleasant surprise! I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the project! Now, if only Amazon had any toilet paper in stock... ------------------------------ Jonathan Amaya-Hodges Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs CMC Combination Products and Medical Devices Cambridge MA United States ------------------------------ Full Article Discussion
so Online sale of unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution By connect.raps.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:07:00 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumHello, I can see many unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution like minoxidil+ Azelaic Acid; Minoxidil + Finasteride; Minoxdil+ niacin+retinol+caffeine that are available online for sale in US but these drug products are not approved by FDA as visble from USFDA website. Can anyone explain that is there any mechanism or guideline to allows to sell such unapproved drug products online in US and also in EU? Or is this totally illegal practice? Thanks Ankur RAC Full Article Discussion
so RE: Online sale of unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution By connect.raps.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 04:15:00 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumHi, Ankur - Some may be "legal," others not. It's a big industry, and it is fair to be cynical. Combination products for sale that have not been approved-as the combination-by FDA are just that, unapproved drugs. I assume you checked for the approval status in FDA's "Orange Book" (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm). Even if both active pharmaceutical ingredients in a 2-drug mixture were approved separately on their own, it does not mean the combined product is approved for [More] Full Article Discussion
so RE: Online sale of unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution By connect.raps.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 08:16:03 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumThese are all unapproved new drugs. Many people who have very limited knowledge of our OTC drug system, assume that if it is sold OTC, it is a monographed drug and they can change the formulation. They do not know that there are two types of OTC drugs allowed-compliance with a monograph or NDA. Minoxidil is one and chlorhexidine antiseptic wash is another. ------------------------------ David Steinberg,FRAPS President Steinberg & Associates, Inc. Pompton Plains NJ USA 609-902-8860 -------------- [More] Full Article Discussion
so RE: Online sale of unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution By connect.raps.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 08:38:05 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumThe only possible way I can see any of these products being legally marketed in the US without going the OTC NDA route would be if the ingredients other than Minoxidil are considered "inactive" and have some purpose (other than their active ingredient purposes) in the formulation. That said, this might work for the last combination in your listing because all of these can and are often used in OTC products as inactive ingredients with understood and current reasons for existing in a formulation [More] Full Article Discussion
so 510(k) accessories By connect.raps.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 10:47:01 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumHello, If there is a significant change to an accessory cleared under a 510(k) of a product, are we supposed to file a significant change to the FDA for the original 510(k) for the accessory? ------------------------------ Shikha Malik Regulatory Affairs Specialist II Dallas TX United States ------------------------------ Full Article Discussion
so RE: 510(k) accessories By connect.raps.org Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 03:05:17 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumHello Shikha, This depends on whether the form, function, and operation of the medical device is affected by the change to the accessory. Without knowing the device, the accessory, or the type of change, it is hard to say, but I refer you to the FDA Guidance document for when to complete a 510(k) for an existing device. If you go through the flowchart and read the descriptors for each there is the item B.5 and then the sub-boxes 1 through 4. There is the question whether a change to accessory [More] Full Article Discussion
so RE: Online sale of unapproved combinations of Minoxidil as topical solution By connect.raps.org Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 10:49:42 -0400 From : Communities>>Regulatory Open ForumThese types of products and combinations you mention are all unapproved drugs and unapproved combinations. Unless the specific combination is approved or listed in an OTC monograph, it is a new drug and requires a NDA to market it. Minoxidil is a Rx to OTC switch product so it requires a NDA or ANDA to market this drug in the US, even as a OTC drug. Thus any combination with minoxidil is a new drug. In the past the FDA has also specifically stated that combining different types of products (drug [More] Full Article Discussion
so The Sound of Compliance By polarisconsultants.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 09 Dec 2015 10:47:00 +0000 Is data integrity music to your ears? Ours, too!ALCOA, GAMP, Part 11, GIGO, we cover it all.(Sung to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence.") Full Article ALCOA Compliance CSV data integrity FDA GAMP parody Part 11
so SOP Revision, SWAT-Style By polarisconsultants.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Mar 2016 13:59:00 +0000 By Laurie MeehanSOP revision. It falls somewhere between income tax prep and colonoscopy prep on the likability scale. So why would you want to read about it? Maybe you’re hoping someone’s figured out a way to make the process more efficient and less painful. Maybe we have.The SWAT TechniqueLast month, we worked with a company to revise a set of SOPs using a technique we call SWAT. (Any edgy appeal that name might have otherwise had will be immediately dulled by its acronym expansion: “SOP Working Analysis Team.” It’s the best we could do. Don’t judge.)The goal of the SWAT technique is to revise the most documents in the least time, while preserving friendships, sobriety, and original hair color. The heart of SWAT is an immersive, multi-day working session in which participants discuss SOP revisions and incorporate them in real time. Careful planning, thorough preparation, and commitment from management and participants are keys to keeping the SWAT session productive.It’s Not For EveryoneUp front, we need to say that SWAT won’t work for every organization. While the size of the company may not be important, the size of the working team needs to be fairly small. Also SWAT won’t work for every set of SOPs. The documents need to be part of a natural grouping – a set of similar procedures – and not a random collection.But in the right situations, SWAT works very well. Last month, we conducted a 2-day SWAT session with a client’s QA department to revise a set of 10 auditing SOPs. We’ve also successfully used the technique with ClinOps teams, for example, to revise sets of monitoring SOPs.SWAT Planning and PreparationThe SWAT process begins with central planning. A coordination team selects a logical grouping of SOPs to revise, and assembles a list of specific revisions to be made. Where it’s not possible to provide specific revisions, instructions and guidelines are developed, such as “remove audit report distribution details” or “update to reflect new file safeguarding practices.”Each SWAT participant is assigned an SOP from the revision set. The participant doesn’t need to be the author of record, but must be knowledgeable enough to “represent” the SOP – to learn the document well and understand how it’s similar to the other SOPs in the revision set and in what ways it’s unique. Based on this understanding, prior to the SWAT session, participants make applicable revisions to their individual documents using the information received from the coordination team. Participants should also note questions and any open issues appropriate for SWAT discussion using inline comments. SWAT SessionThe result of the SWAT session is a set of approval-ready SOPs. The precise structure of the SWAT session to get you there depends on a variety of factors, such as how similar or dissimilar the SOPs are, the extent and complexity of the revisions, and whether subject matter expertise is concentrated or distributed among the group. But all successful SWAT sessions we’ve conducted share these attributes:Duration of 2 to 3 days. Just long enough to accomplish the aggressive goal, just short enough to keep everyone from diving out the window.Real-time revision. The “SOP of the hour” is projected on a screen while participants sit in front of PCs and update their assigned SOPs accordingly.Rigorous facilitation. It’s natural for discussions about company procedures to morph into other topics, such as business strategy or staffing requirements. Discussion *will* get off topic. When it does, the facilitator must act quickly to table it. You can maintain a list of tangent topics on a flip chart, schedule a meeting to discuss the most pressing items, ring a cowbell, blow an air horn, or drop a quarter in the “Diversion Jar” and move on, but keep those conversations out of your SWAT session. Save the war stories for dinner.Commitment to the process. Scheduling the session is one thing, but remaining dedicated to the session is an act of will. It’s so ridiculously easy for outside work to creep in. Management and participants must be committed to carving out the time and keeping the barbarians at the gate.Of course: Plenty of caffeine and yummy treats.If you’ve ever worked on SOPs, you know there’s a big difference between done and almost done. To help ensure you emerge from the SWAT session with the former, time must be allotted for participants to format, polish, and conduct a quality review. If it’s possible to scare up some on-site administrative support, that could help expedite the process.SWAT BenefitsWhen you look on your team’s Outlook calendar and see 3 entire days blocked out, it can seem like an awful lot of time devoted to SOP revision. But SWAT really doesn’t take any longer than the usual process, it’s just more obvious. Does SWAT take significantly *less* time? Mmmm, not sure, but SWAT brings with it other benefits.SWAT produces a more consistent set of SOPs. Since every document is compared to every other, it’s easy to notice and correct incidental differences.SWAT is a cross-training opportunity. Participants enter SWAT knowing their own SOP very well. They leave knowing the whole SOP revision set very well.SWAT gets it done. Auditors, how many times have you cited facilities for failure to revise their SOPs within the specified window? It’s not because there’s a willful disregard for SOP procedures. It’s because, in the real world of work, revising SOPs is seldom prioritized highly enough to get on anyone’s schedule until the end of the revision window encroaches or – oops – has passed. But schedule a SWAT and they will come. (And because the effort is so visible and so obviously resource-intensive, no one wants to be the one to drop the ball. Participants come prepared and the resulting documents are the better for it.)SWAT is a lot more fun. Revising SOPs on your own is really boring. Revising them in immersive sessions with colleagues is significantly more enjoyable. Gallows humor reigns supreme. Copious amounts of chocolate are consumed. Air horns are blown in celebration. Friendships, sobriety, and hair color remain intact. Participants live to write another day._______________________________________________________________________Photo Credit: Tenaciousme CoffeeArt, under Creative Commons License Full Article SOP revision SOPs
so Optimizing Outsourcing Options for Small Sponsors By polarisconsultants.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Sep 2016 12:58:00 +0000 What can small sponsors do to secure the outsourcing resources they need as large CROs form strategic alliances with Big Pharma?Partenships between large pharmaceutical companies and large CROs have become the norm. The advantages for sponsor companies include shared risk, knowledge transfer, dedicated resources, shorter time to market, and the ability to implement the massive data integration that clinical development requires. Strategic alliances are arguably as advantageous for their outsourcing partners, providing a steady pipeline of work that’s larger in scope and longer in duration than is typical under traditional arrangements. Strategic Partnerships in Big Pharma: Implications for the RestAdvantages for one segment of the industry can introduce disadvantages for another. Alliances among the large players increase competition for top-drawer CRO resources. Smaller sponsors may find it more difficult to receive the quality of service and level of commitment they might otherwise expect. A large CRO is likely to assign their most talented personnel to projects associated with their strategic partners. And if a partner study were to run into trouble, it would be hard to fault a CRO for pulling experienced staff members off a smaller project in order to help out with the big client. Though a reputable CRO wouldn’t jeopardize the relationship with the smaller client, their responsiveness to routine requests might suffer. It might take longer to get a question answered, receive requested documentation, making the job of vendor oversight difficult.Though selecting a large, well-established CRO at the outset may have seemed like the safe bet, what do you do if you’re a small sponsor or biotech start-up who is dissatisfied with the level of service you’re receiving?“Let’s Bring It In-house.”Put off by a negative experience, many companies decide to curtail outsourcing, and bring functions like monitoring and project management in-house.This response is understandable, but it rarely goes well. There’s good reason to outsource study functions to a CRO, especially if you’re small, or new, or both. Mid-study is a terrible time to realize you’re in over your head. You may find it difficult to contract with the service providers you want in the timeframe you need them. Services you would have preferred be performed by a single company may now have to be farmed out piecemeal, which has the overhead of multiple contracts and makes vendor oversight more difficult to manage. You don’t have time to go through a thorough qualification process. You’re not in a good bargaining position; you’re trying to buy a new car after they’ve towed away your old one. And now you have to rely on your new service provider(s) – the ones who may not be your first choice, whom you had to choose in haste, whom you didn’t get to thoroughly vet – to jump in midstream and pick up a study that is already in trouble.Options for Small Sponsors and Start-upsSo what’s the answer? You have several good options we’ve seen work well for smaller organizations.(1) Go smaller. Look beyond traditional outsourcing choices and consider selecting smaller vendors who may well be in a better position to focus on individual projects and give priority to shorter term engagements. After all, a project that’s small to a big CRO will be comparatively big to a small CRO.(2) Go long-term. Consider establishing strategic partnerships of your own. Doing so would increase the expertise and technology to which you’d have ready access, and could extend your global reach.(3) Go big, but go vigilantly. There’s a reason companies hire big, reputable CROs. ‘Big’ means the CRO has an impressive set of resources at its disposal. ‘Reputable’ means it has a proven record of successfully completing studies, producing reliable data, and preserving subject safety. Smaller sponsors can still take advantage of everything a big CRO offers if they can commit to conducting very strict vendor oversight. They need to closely monitor the quality of the work the CRO performs, frequently assess adherence to the many written study plans, and make sure deadlines are being met. Service contracts should guarantee a certain level of responsiveness (by specifying maximum turn-around times, for example), especially for those requests that enable these oversight activities.Qualification is KeyWhile the key to Option 3 is effective vendor management, the key to Options 1 and 2 is effective vendor qualification. Resources are tight in a small company, so you need to direct them where your exposure is greatest, where they’ll do the most good. What could be more essential to the success of your study than choosing the right company to conduct it? Many sponsors conduct on-site vendor audits. That’s good. That’s necessary. But it’s not sufficient. To consistently choose the best possible CRO for your study, sponsors need to:Formally document and maintain vendor selection criteria and qualification processForm selection committees that represent all sides of your business – finance, contracting, operations, finance, QA, data management, pharmacovigilance, biostatistics, etc.Conduct on-site audits with well-trained, well-prepared QA auditorsTrack the resulting CAPA activitiesEnsure outstanding issues are resolved before the contract is signedPeriodically re-evaluate vendors to make sure they can continue to deliver the same level of quality they’ve delivered in the pastStrategic partnerships among large companies have reshaped the research environment for industry players of every size. Small and mid-sized companies who take the time to review current outsourcing arrangements, assess alternative models, and thoroughly qualify new vendors and partners will fare the best.Photo Credit: FreeImages.com/Svilen Milev Full Article CRO sponsor strategic alliance strategic partnership vendor audits vendor qualification
so eSource Terminology Untangled By polarisconsultants.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 14 May 2018 16:31:00 +0000 True or False:(1) eSource in clinical trials means eliminating the possibility for transcription errors.(2) Data collected in Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems is eSource.Strictly speaking, both statements are false. If that surprises you, it’s probably because many casual uses of the term “eSource” actually differ from the formal definition laid out by FDA. If the participants in any discussion share the same interpretation of “eSource”, or if it’s clear from context how “eSource” is being used, then no harm, no foul. (Contemporary translation: “Meh.”) BUT…and you know where we’re going with this…when a term can be interpreted in multiple ways, there’s always a possibility for miscommunication and cross talk.FDA Guidance on eSource in Clinical InvestigationsFDA defines eSource as *any* data initially recorded in electronic format. That’s a broad definition, one that includes: a) equipment-generated data, such as digital imaging and labs b) electronic Patient Reported Outcome (ePRO) transmissions c) data streams from mobile health devices, such as Apple ResearchKit d) data entered directly into an EDC, known as Direct-Data-Entry (DDE) solutions e) data entered into an Electronic Health Record (EHR) or electronic Medical Record (EMR) systemDiscussion of Direct-Data-Entry (DDE)DDE systems allow research staff members to use portable devices to enter study data directly into an EDC system. DDEs have been garnering a lot of industry attention of late, and a number of companies offer solutions that offer a DDE data flow. As independent 3rd party auditors, we don’t want to play favorites by mentioning specific systems as examples, but if your company sells or uses a DDE system that you want to highlight, feel free to add a comment below to give it a shout out.Discussion of EMR/EDC IntegrationNot long after finalizing its e-Source guidance, FDA hosted a webinar that encouraged companies to explore direct EMR/EDC integration. While a few industry players have taken up the effort, movement has been slow. One difficulty: generally EMRs are built with healthcare in mind, not clinical research. Secondly, with so many EMR and EDC vendors, ensuring that EMR data from one system is mapped to appropriate EDC fields in another system relies heavily on data standards that are still being defined and need to be implemented on both sides. Source Data Verification (SDV)If data is transmitted directly from the source system to an Electronic Data Collection (EDC) system, SDV is not required, since the source data isn’t being transcribed manually. (Note: other types of Source Data Review (SDR) activities are still necessary, even if SDV isn’t. SDR must be conducted to verify ALCOA-C data principles such as attribution, originality, accuracy, completeness, etc.) Direct transmission from source system to EDC system is the typical pathway for items (a) – (d) above, and so SDV is not required for these types of eSource.Common ConfusionsSDV. Unless there is EMR/EDC integration – Item (e) above – source data from an EMR system needs to be manually transcribed. This is what makes T/F question #1 false. Just because source data originates in an EMR, it does *not* suggest SDV checks are superfluous. You could argue, as many have, that SDV is not a high-value activity and uncovers only a small percent of data error. That argument may well influence how much SDV is conducted, but whenever data is transcribed from original source into an EDC system, SDV is a relevant discussion.EDC Data. It’s not unusual for someone to refer to data stored in EDCs as eSource. Data stored in EDCs are electronic, and may be source, but only if the EDC is the first place the data is recorded. This is what makes T/F question #2 false.In SummaryIf you’re ever in a discussion about eSource and things start going sideways, it may be time to haul out the formal definition of eSource -- in all its tedious detail -- to make sure everyone is using the term the same way. _____________________________________________________Image Credit: Paradox by Brett Jordan Full Article clinical research clinical trials Direct Data Entry EDC EMR/EDC eSource SDV
so No Need for a Crystal Ball in Some Scenarios By strengthenfda.org Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 17:05:32 +0000 FDA — along with NIH, CDC, and other front-line public health agencies — is caught up in the urgent COVID-19 efforts. Appropriately, enormous resources are being devoted to fighting the pandemic and more funding will come, if needed. At the same time, we are getting positive reports on the FDA’s efforts to carry out the […] Full Article Analysis and Commentary appropriations complex planning Resources science vaccine workload
so Impact of COVID-19 on Regulatory Enforcement and Approvals – Part 3 – FDA Adds Resources to Facilitate COVID-19 Research By eyeonfda.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:05:05 +0000 With the COVID-19 impact making itself apparent on a daily basis as the numbers climb and organizations respond, the effects on the pharma and biotech sector also shifts. Yesterday FDA announced a new concentration of agency assets to be focused … Continue reading → Full Article Current Affairs FDA Policy
so Health Canada: We do not enforce the law when Canadians poison Americans By searchingforsafety.net Published On :: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 00:42:42 GMT Posted by Reed Beall and Amir Attaran (respectively Phd Candidate and Professor, University of Ottawa) On September 8, we posted a blogspot about our recent article published in Health Law in Canada, in which we write that Canada is providing haven for internet pharmacies located on Canadian soil that advertise and sell unapproved medicines illegally. We called this a transnational transnational organized crime, which Canadian officials are knowingly facilitating. We offered example [...] Full Article Uncategorized