Q: I’ve been assigned to do a product risk assessment on a new device we’re developing. My background is not in risk management, so any advice you can offer would be very much appreciated. I’m especially concerned about how often we…
Tag Archive for Failure Investigation
Guidelines for Making Quality System Changes
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Q: I think we understand what’s required for changes to a product design or manufacturing process. But when it comes to making changes to a quality system procedure or work instruction, we’re not clear on what’s needed prior to implementing such quality…
Complaint Investigation: When You Don’t Have to Investigate Every Complaint
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Q: Does every complaint require some kind of complaint investigation? A: Yes, but with some qualifications. For each complaint you receive, you should determine the extent of the problem, its impact (risk) to the user, patient or by-stander, and its validity. Why…
Hazard Analysis: Understanding the Differences between Cause, Effect, and Hazard
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Q: I’m struggling with developing our unit’s risk management plans, especially when it comes to hazard analysis. Can you help me better understand the differences between a cause, an effect, and a hazard? A: The short but complicated answer is — it…
ER Analogy: When to See the CAPA “Specialist”
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Q: My company continues to struggle with deciding when to elevate a complaint to the level of a CAPA. And at times we disagree about how to differentiate complaints, non-conformances, and CAPAs. Can you help us sort it all out? A:…
Incoming Inspection: Is Pass/Fail OK?
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Q: At my company, incoming inspection includes measuring the length of a cable used in our products. The results are recorded as “pass/fail”. My colleague thinks the actual results (the measurement) should be recorded instead. I can’t recall an actual regulation…
CAPA Data Sources; What Makes a Compliant CAPA System
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Q: My question is about what makes a compliant CAPA system, including appropriate CAPA data sources. We recently received a 483 notice citing inadequacies in our CAPA system. Could you review for me FDA’s basic requirements for CAPA? Moreover, what are…
Re-Audits: When and Why Should You Conduct Them?
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Q: What is industry practice — or more importantly, FDA’s viewpoint — regarding re-audits? Do we need defined and documented criteria for when to conduct re-audits? If so, what would such criteria include? A: My experience is that industry rarely does what is…
When Should You Open a CAPA Based on a Non-Conformance Report?
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Q: At my company, a non-conformance report (NCR) is initiated for a product non-conformance that is created and found internally. Would you automatically elevate the NCR to a corrective action request? In other words, with the exception of issues you decide…
CAPA Data: What Can FDA Request to See?
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Q: It’s my understanding that during an FDA audit of a pharmaceutical company, the Agency can request to see CAPA data from internal audits — but if you’re a medical device company, it can’t. Is that correct? Also, can the FDA request to see…