03
Sep

Compounding Pharmacies – Do You Notice a Trend Developing?

Ever since the meningitis outbreak associated with the products from the New England Compounding Center, the FDA and the States have been taking a closer look at this segment of the industry. So far, in 2013 alone, the FDA has issued 51 Safety Alerts for Human Medical Products, of which 17 (33%) related to sterile pharmacy compounded products and/or laboratories that tested those products for sterility and/or potency. In addition, FDA has taken 54 separate actions against compounding pharmacies in 2013 alone, with only 24 actions taken in the previous 5 years.

Read More
22
Aug

FDA and the EMA (European Medicines Agency) Issue Q&A Document to Communicate Results from Initial QbD Parallel Assessment

On August 20, 2013, FDA and the EMA (European Medicines Agency) published a document entitled, “EMA-FDA pilot program for parallel assessment of Quality-by-Design applications: Lessons learnt and Q&A resulting from the first parallel assessment.”   The Q&A document provides information regarding agreements that were made between the agencies as a result of the first FDA-EMA parallel […]

Read More
02
Aug

Acetaminophen Can Cause A Rare Serious Skin Reaction

In a safety communication late yesterday, the FDA warned the public about the potential for acetaminophen to cause a rare, potentially fatal skin condition called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrosis (TENS) and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). The Agency discovered this through evaluation of the literature and a search of its Adverse Events Database.

Read More
02
Aug

GDUFA Fees Rise – While Generic Firms are Getting Restless

FDA announced the Fiscal Year 2014 User Fees to begin on October 1, 2013. This rise in fees was expected since the number of ANDA projected to be submitted in 2013 appears as if it may drop below the 1103 submitted in 2012. In addition, the number of facilities self-identifying was slightly lower than anticipated. Also remember that, in year one of GDUFA, there was $50 million of the $299 million permitted for 2013 associated with backlog fees to address the logjam of ANDAs in the backlog. That was a one- time fee which must now be made up by increases in the ongoing yearly fees.

Read More