There is no specific definition in the People’s Republic of China regulatory framework clarifying the term “digital health,” but there is general acceptance that the term refers to digital technologies applied across the healthcare sector. 1,2 This article describes recent updates to the regulatory framework for digital health applications that qualify as medical devices under China’s regulations.   Keywords – China, digital health, regulatory   Introduction...

The EU’s eagerly anticipated revision of its good manufacturing practice (GMP) Annex 1 for sterile drug products was released on Thursday after 14 years of development. The revised requirements, which are set to take effect 25 August 2023, govern the manufacturing of sterile drugs made in the EU, as well as imported products.   The revised Annex comes after hints earlier this year that it be out in mid-2022. (RELATED: EU GMP Annex 1 revision to be released mid-year ...

Feature articles in June examined food safety in China, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on supply chain disruptions, possible updates to the US Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), and FDA and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation of dietary supplements intended for treating or preventing certain mental health disorders.   Safety, disruptions, and responsive policy  China has improved its overall food safety situation significant...

A Dutch producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was put on notice to adopt more robust equipment cleaning practices and use better safeguards to prevent cross-contamination in a warning letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dated 14 June. FDA found the presence of “visible powder residue” on non-dedicated equipment.   The warning letter pertained to Fagron Group B.V.’s manufacturing site in Saint Paul, MN. The company is headquartered in ...

This article reviews the changes in China's national food safety control system and update on national food safety standard system and describes the country's unique regulations and requirements for the regulatory control of infant formula, health foods (functional foods), and food for special medical purposes (FSMP). Keywords – infant formula; food for special medical purposes; food regulatory control; food safety; food standards   Introduction Since the m...

An official with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the agency will soon resume unannounced onsite inspections in India and China. Also, prioritized foreign inspections will resume in February.   Elizabeth Miller, assistant commissioner for medical products and tobacco operations in FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), provided this update on the agency’s inspection activities at a 9 December virtual conference on enforcement sponsored by the Fo...

Feature articles during October included an in-depth look at the linguistic review process in Europe and  reviews of the regulatory pathways for herbal medicinal products, medical devices, and supplements in the EU and for advanced therapies in the Asian-Pacific region. Also included was an article on the challenges of data integrity remediation in cGMP facilities.   Linguistic review and herbal product regulation The linguistic review process for centrally authori...

This article reviews Chinese laws governing healthcare data and genomic resources during 1998-2021 and their impact on clinical research in humans by pharmaceutical companies. Companies conducting such research must be vigilant about complying with the complex legal requirements governing the research and identifying potential risks and mitigation strategies for compliance. The analysis includes review of various legal requirements issued by the People’s Republic of China ...

Real-time remote inspections piloted during the COVID-19 pandemic could serve as a third pillar for the supervision of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) said.   EDQM began piloting real-time remote inspections, which it refers to by the abbreviation RTEMIS, in 2020 in response to travel restrictions. With the vast majority of the around 40 on-site inspections EDQM performs each year happen...

This week, the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) announced that its new guidance on good practices for data management and integrity for pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors has come into effect.   When authorities inspect facilities of manufacturers and distributors of active pharmaceutical ingredients to ensure good manufacturing practice and good distribution practice (GMP/GDP) compliance, “The effectiveness of these inspection processes...

The Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation Scheme (PIC/S) this week announced plans to incorporate the EU good manufacturing practice (GMP) Annex 16 on batch release by a qualified person (QP) into a PIC/S guideline. The aim is to have non-EU/European Economic Area (EEA) members incorporate Annex 16 into their regulatory systems.   The EU’s Annex 16 covers the certification of a QP that can release product batches for marketing authorization holders in the EU or labeled...

This article outlines the status of regulation for software as medical device (SaMD) in China, with particular focus on medical software using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The market approval pathways are reviewed, and key sticking points discussed. Recent regulatory updates in this fast-moving area are presented, together with various product approval examples.   China’s medical software regulatory framework The term “medical device” is defined widely ...