GMP/FDA Compliance in Analytical Laboratories

9-11 December 2025

Course No. 22012

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Speakers

Dr. Joachim Ermer

Dr. Joachim Ermer

Ermer Quality Consulting

Dr Manfred Fischer

Dr Manfred Fischer

Manfred Fischer Consulting

Dr. Bob McDowall

Dr. Bob McDowall

R.D. McDowall Ltd.

Jörg Kastenschmidt

Jörg Kastenschmidt

Merck Healthcare

All times mentioned are CET.

Objectives

The purpose of this three-day Live Online Training is to give participants a comprehensive overview of FDA’s current compliance requirements (21 CFR Part 211, Guidances for Industry, Compliance Program Guide, etc.) and expectations in these and related areas, and how they can be managed effectively.

The format allows each of our speakers to give an overview of the specific regulatory requirements associated with their topic prior to describing the approach to managing the issues with respect to philosophy, documented procedures, SOPs, etc.

In addition, the programme includes four workshop sessions covering:
  • Method Validation
  • Out of Specification Results
  • Validation of Excel Spreadsheets
  • Method Transfer

Background

A major consequence of the Barr Ruling in 1993 was the significantly greater emphasis FDA inspections placed on the management and performance of quality control laboratories particularly the handling of Out of Specification results.

As a result of the increased and on-going scrutiny of analytical performance it is hardly surprising that even today the most frequently cited cGMP non-compliances are still found in laboratories, particularly:
  • General cGMP understanding and particularly relating to compliance with written procedures
  • Validation, performance and transfer of analytical procedures
  • Data Integrity
  • Management of out of specification and suspect test results
  • Instrument qualification including an explanation of the new version of USP <1058>and calibration
  • Computer validation (including the requirements and actual interpretation of 21 CFR Part 11)
  • Operator Training
  • Management of reagents and standards
Take advantage of this Live Online Training to discuss all these issues.

Target Group

This course will be of significant value to:
  • All quality control managers responsible for FDA compliance in their laboratories
  • Laboratory staff charged with meeting these requirements day-to-day
  • Everybody involved in FDA inspections

Date & Technical Requirements

Date

Tuesday, 09 December 2025, 09.00 – 17.00 h
Wednesday, 10 December, 09.00 – 17.30 h
Thursday, 11 December, 09.00 – 17.30 h
All times mentioned are CET.

Technical Requirements

We use Webex for our live online training courses and webinars. At www.gmp-compliance.org/training/online-trainingtechnical-information you will find all the information you need to participate in our events and you can check if your system meets the necessary requirements to participate. If the installation of browser extensions is not possible due to your  rights in the IT system, please contact your IT department. Webex is a standard nowadays and the necessary Installation is fast and easy.

Programme

General Aspects: Regulatory Requirements and FDA-Inspections
  • Regulatory Overview (US, Europe and the world)
  • Regulatory requirements in the US (cGMP, CFR, Guidances for Industry, etc.)
  • FDA Inspections
  • Key issues during laboratory inspections
  • 483s and Warning Letters
Qualification of Analytical Instruments in QC Laboratories
  • Legal requirements (cGMP, CFR, etc.)
  • USP General Chapter <1058> Analytical Instrument Qualification
  • Qualification Phases (DQ/IQ/OQ/PQ)
  • Qualification examples (problems and solutions)
  • Analytical instrument life-cycle (Requalification, etc.)
Calibration for FDA Inspected Analytical Laboratories
  • General approach to Calibration
  • Instrument calibration in the USP
  • Contrasting US and European approaches (important in the context of laboratories struggling to meet both requirements)
Reference Standards and Reagents for FDA-Inspected Laboratories
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Types of reference standards: Official/primary/working standards/reference materials
  • Traceability, characterisation, and retest date of standards
  • Risk-based approach for management, storage and shelf-life of laboratory reagents and solutions
  • Stability investigation of solutions for quantitation
Validation of Analytical Procedures
  • Regulatory requirements (ICH, FDA, compendia)
  • Lifecycle approach (3-Stage-Model according to USP General Chapter <1220>)
  • Verification of compendial procedures
  • Rationale design of validation studies
  • Identification of relevant performance parameters
  • Sensible use of statistics
  • Suitable performance parameters for continuous monitoring
Stability Testing
  • Regulatory requirements for stability testing of drug substances and drug products
  • Types of stability studies
  • Storage conditions requirements according to climatic zones
  • Stability protocol and reports
  • Establishment of storage conditions and shelf-life
  • Stability testing for post-approval changes
Out of Specification Results
  • Requirements of the FDA Guidance
  • Efficient laboratory investigations
  • Reanalysing, retesting, resampling
  • Management of variability-caused OOS results
  • Investigation of atypical results
  • Proactive strategies to prevent OOS results
Documentation for Quality Control Laboratories
  • “Scientifically sound” GMP requirements of QC documents and approaches
  • Types of QC laboratory documents:
    - Test specifications and analytical procedures
    - Standard Operating Procedures
    - Instrument qualification protocols
    - Complete data for analytical testing and Certificates of Analysis
  • Compare and contrast FDA and EU documentation requirements
  • Management of blank forms and data integrity issues
Sampling in Compliance with FDA Requirements
  • Importance of the sampling procedure
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Sampling statistics / sampling plans
  • Sampling procedures
  • Sampling equipment and environment
  • Training
  • Retained samples
Practical Computer Validation in Analytical Laboratories
  • Computerised system validation as a critical activity in the analytical laboratory
  • 21 CFR Part 11 compliance
  • FDA emphasis on data integrity for computerised systems
  • GAMP software categories and impact on validation approach
  • GAMP Good Practice Guide for Validation of Laboratory Systems second edition
  • Case study examples: how to validate systems in a cost-effective way and steps of what not to do!
FDA Approaches to Laboratory Data Integrity
  • FDA laboratory observations: falsification and fraud
  • Compliance Program Guide 7346.832 on Pre-Approval Inspections: Objective 3 - Laboratory data integrity
  • FDA inspector training: focus on the computer system not paper printouts
  • What controls do you need to have in place to ensure data integrity?
Four Workshops
Some of the most important laboratory compliance topics will be further discussed in interactive workshops:

Topic I: Method Validation
Moderator: Dr JOACHIM ERMER

Topic II: Out of Specification Results
Moderator: Dr JOACHIM ERMER

Topic III: Validation of Excel Spreadsheets
Moderator: Dr BOB McDOWALL

Topic IV: Method Transfer
Moderator: Dr MANFRED FISCHER

Transfer of Analytical Procedures
  • USP General Chapter <1224>Transfer of Analytical Procedures (TAP)
  • Key steps for a successful method transfer:
    - Initiation phase (training method familiarization, etc.)
    - Types of Transfer
    - Analytical procedures
    - Materials (samples and standards) and testing design
    - Instruments
    - Data assessment – Acceptance criteria
    - Documentation (transfer protocol/report)
  • Summary
Validation of Excel Spreadsheets
  • Excel spreadsheets are used widely in analytical laboratories as it is easily available and easy to use - and equally so, it is easy to misuse
  • Technical features available in Excel
  • Practical ways to validate Excel spreadsheets
  • Protection of the electronic records produced
  • Problems of complying with 21 CFR Part 11 and the new EU GMP Annex 11 Requirements
Training Case Study
  • Legal requirements
  • Education/GMP-training/Training on the job
  • Training records
  • Re-training frequency

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This course is part of the GMP Certification Programme "ECA Certified Quality Control Manager" Learn more

ECA-Member*: € 2090,-
Non ECA Member*: € 2290,-
EU/GMP Inspectorates*: € 1145,-
APIC Member Discount*: € 2190,-

(All prices excl. VAT). Important notes on sales tax.

* also payable by credit card
American Express Visa Mastercard

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Further dates on-site
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Do you have any questions?

Please contact us:
Tel.: +49 6221 8444-0
E-Mail: info@gmp-compliance.org

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