ECA Analytical Quality Control Group nominates new Board Member

The ECA Analytical Quality Control Group (AQCG) has extended its Board. Dr Joachim Ermer was invited to join the Board and accepted his nomination.

About the Group

The ECA Analytical Quality Control Group aims at providing a networking platform for analytical chemists in development and manufacturing, quality control, regulatory affairs and quality assurance professionals in order to facilitate an active discussion of the impact of the latest regulatory changes as well as identifying and addressing technical issues and challenges. In addition, it actively supports a harmonised approach by

• Providing guidance documents on topics of specific interest to Quality Control,
• Developing discussion/position papers and generic procedures via expert working groups,
• Facilitating an effective and efficient communication between industry, competent authorities and the pharmacopoeias regarding analytical quality control.

Dr Joachim Ermer

Following his study of biochemistry and the PhD thesis in enzyme kinetics at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, and a post-doc scholarship in Cambridge, UK, Dr Ermer worked for almost 30 years in various positions in industrial Quality Control. His responsibilities included head of laboratory within the analytical drug development at Hoechst AG, Frankfurt, Germany, a global function as Director of Analytical Processes and Technology at Aventis, head of Quality Control and head of QC Lifecycle Management Frankfurt Chemistry, Sanofi, Germany, and Sanofi Global Reference Standard Coordinator. Since December 2020, he serves as consultant for topics of pharmaceutical analytics and Quality Control. Dr Ermer is member of the Focus Group "Analytics and Quality Assurance", International Association of Pharmaceutical Technology (APV), of the Ph.Eur. Working Group "Chromatographic Separation Techniques" and of the USP Expert Committee "Measurement and Data Quality". He authored more than 50 publications on analytical topics and is editor and author of the two editions of the book "Method Validation in Pharmaceutical Analysis. A Guide to Best Practice" (Wiley-VCH, 2005 and 2015).

Board of Directors

With the appointment of Dr Ermer, a further expert has been gained for the group's activities. The members of the ECA Analytical Quality Control Group Advisory Board are are now the following:

• Dr Christopher Burgess
  Burgess Analytical Consultancy Limited, UK,
  Qualified Person, USP Council of Experts 2010 to 2025 and Chairman of the AQCG Board
• Ms Silviya Dimitrova
  TEVA Pharmaceuticals Industries, Bulgaria
  QP & Director Global Quality Services Bulgaria and Global QTA
• Dr Joachim Ermer
  Ermer Quality Consulting, Germany
• Dr Gerd Jilge
  Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
  Retired Head of a Method Development Laboratory
• Dr Bob McDowall
  R D McDowall Limited, UK
  Member of the ECA IT Compliance Interest Group
• Ms Margarita Sabater
  Genmab A/S, Denmark
  Senior CMC Specialist, Analytical.

For further information and to apply for a free membership, please visit the group's website.