Abbreviations in the GDP Environment

During GDP events organised by the ECA, the wish came up to compile a list of relevant abbreviations used in the GDP environment. We have prepared such an overview.

General Abbreviations

3PL Third Party Logistics
API Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
CAPA Corrective and Preventive Actions
CC Change Control
CCP Critical Control Point
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices
COA Certificate of Analysis
CSV Computer System Validation
DQ Design Qualification
DSCSA Drug Supply Chain Security Act
EEA European Economic Area
EP European Pharmacopoeia
EU European Union
FD&C Act (U.S.) Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act
FEFO First Expiry First Out
FIFO First In First Out
FMEA Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
GDP Good Distribution Practice
GMP Good Manufacturing Practices
GSP Good Storage Practice
HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
IQ Installation Qualification
KPI Key Performance Indicator
LIFO Last In First Out

MAA

Marketing Authorisation Application

MAH Marketing Authorisation Holder
MIA Manufacture and Import Authorisation
OOS  Out-of-Specification (test results)
OQ Operational Qualification
OTC Over-the-Counter (medications)
Ph. Eur. European Pharmacopeaia
PQ Performance Qualification
QA Quality Agreement
QA Quality Assurance
QC Quality Control
QM Quality Management
QMS Quality Management System
QP Qualified Person
QRMS Quality and Risk Management System
RA Risk Analysis
RP Responsible Person
SMF Site Master File
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
WDA Wholesale Distribution Authorisation

Authorities and Organisations

APIC Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Committee www.apic.cefic.org
DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung www.din.de
ECA European Compliance Academy www.gmp-compliance.org/
EDQM European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare www.edqm.eu/en/
EMA European Medicines Agency www.ema.europa.eu
FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov/
GDPA   European GDP Association www.good-distribution-practice-group.org/
ICH International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use www.ich.org/
IPEC International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council www.ipec-europe.org
ISO International Organization for Standardization www.iso.org/
ISPE International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering www.ispe.org
MHRA Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency
PDA Parenteral Drug Association www.pda.org/
PIC/S Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme www.picscheme.org
USP United States Pharmacopeia www.usp.org
WHO World Health Organization www.who.int

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