GxP Lifeline

 

  • What Is a Quality Control System and How Can an EQMS Give it a Boost?

    16 April, 2019 by David Butcher, Staff Writer, MasterControl

    Life science and other companies doing business in FDA- and ISO-regulated environments understand how critical quality control and quality assurance are to successful quality management. “Quality control” and “quality assurance” are often used interchangeably when referring to activities conducted to ensure the quality of a product, service or process. Some quality control and quality assurance activities are interrelated, but the two are not necessarily interchangeable. Understanding the difference between the two quality processes is important, and a robust electronic quality management system (EQMS) will enable organizations to better manage both.

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  • Using Sherlock Holmes to Pick a Consultant

    23 January, 2019 by Sarah Beale, Staff Writer, MasterControl

    When you’re faced with a daunting task, it can be tempting to bring in a consultant to deal with it. Depending on the circumstances, this can be a great idea or a disaster. Fortunately, there are a few lessons from the world’s only consulting detective that can help you make this decision.

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  • 10 Key Steps for Implementing a QMS

    27 September, 2018 by Tifany Desprez, Communication & Marketing Manager with MasterControl Partner Apsalys

    Your company needs to an integrated, automated quality management system (QMS) to help you get your products to market faster and more efficiently. Where do you start? Consider these 10 steps to help you audit your current system and processes, get stakeholders onboard, and implement a QMS that will signifcantly improve your company's quality processes.

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  • Regulatory Barriers to Innovation for Startups

    31 July, 2018 by Tifany Desprez, Ph.D., Communication and Marketing Manager with MasterControl European Partner, Apsalys

    France and Europe are witnessing an explosion of life science innovation from new startups. But what separates the winners from the losers? Learn how to successfully overcome regulatory barriers and get your product to market quicker.

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  • What the FDA’s New Ruling Means for Caffeine Supplements

    14 June, 2018 by Sarah Beale, Staff Writer, MasterControl

    Most of us need caffeine to get through the day, whether from coffee, soda or energy drinks. For those seeking alternate sources, nutraceutical companies have been happy to oblige. However, recent headlines about dangerous caffeine supplements and subsequent action by the FDA might be worrisome to consumers and manufacturers.

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  • The Link Between Regulation, Quality Systems and Data Integrity, Part 2

    31 May, 2018 by Philippe Charbon, CEO of Apsalys, a European value-added Partner of MasterControl

    An examination of how the evolving standards of data integrity are affecting regulations and quality considerations within life science industries worldwide.

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  • GDPR Deadline Approaches: What Is Expected for Compliance?

    3 April, 2018 by Dave Jensen, Staff Writer, MasterControl

    First the bad news. As long as health care-related data remains a valuable commodity, security breaches and data theft will persist. The good news is global regulatory agencies are ramping up their cybersecurity measures in an effort to restore relevance to the “protection” component of protected health information (PHI).

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  • What Do Changes to Australia’s PIC/S Guide to GMP Mean for Pharma Down Under?

    1 February, 2018 by Luana Carone, Solutions Consultant for Australia/New Zealand, MasterControl

    It’s said that change is never easy. But in the pharmaceutical industry, flexibility, and adaptability are part and parcel of successfully delivering the safest, highest quality products to a global market.

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  • 4 Ways an EQMS Can Help You Improve Supplier Visibility

    9 January, 2018 by David Butcher, Staff Writer

    Leveraging a centralized electronic quality management system (EQMS) can help medical device manufacturers bring together all quality data, leading to greater visibility and solutions to at least four key quality challenges across the extended supply chain, according to MasterControl Senior Product Manager Terrance Holbrook.

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  • 5 Most Common Pharma Form 483 Quagmires & How to Avoid Them

    26 December, 2017 by James Jardine, Staff Writer, MasterControl

    See the most common reasons the FDA cited pharmaceutical companies with Form 483 Inspectional Observations last year and examine potential remedies that can help prevent future warnings.

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  • Developing a QMS: Should You Buy or Build?

    11 December, 2012 Cindy Fazzi, Marketing Communications Specialist, MasterControl, Inc.

    When it comes to a quality management system, should you buy or build? Many regulated companies face this dilemma. Perhaps these companies are small startups without a QMS, or maybe they are established but they want to improve their existing systems.

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  • Digging up Root Cause

    23 January, 2014 Robyn Barnes, Public Relations, MasterControl Inc.

    Dan O’Leary, president at Ombu Enterprises, LLC, started an interesting discussion on LinkedIn’s Corrective and Preventive Action Group. He was wondering where the term “root cause” came from.

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  • Be SMART: 5 Critical Factors in CAPA

    4 March, 2014 by Cindy Fazzi, Marketing Communications Specialist, MasterControl Inc.

    It’s not enough to come up with a corrective action for a quality event. It’s critical to have the right action that actually fixes the problem and prevents it from recurring.

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  • More Helpful Quality Event Management Tips from MasterControl CAPA Presentation

    5 March, 2014 by James Jardine, Marketing Communications, MasterControl Inc.

    A previous post to this blog covered some of the highlights of a recorded MasterControl webinar that discusses best practices for corrective and preventive action (CAPA) systems. The free recording is presented by quality expert Ken Peterson, a prominent consultant who has decades of experience with risk management, customer service, and CAPA systems. Peterson has devoted his quality expertise to a long list of successful companies such as Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, Kodak, and IBM.

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  • Four Team Members to Include When Building Your Software Implementation Dream Team (and Two to Avoid)

    11 March, 2014 by Stephanie Jones, Professional Services Consultant, MasterControl Inc.

    According to a study by Gartner Research, nearly four in ten major software purchases end up as “shelfware,” i.e., software that is purchased and never implemented or only marginally configured and/or deployed. Why? Often, it is because of the application itself or the perceived unresponsiveness of the software vendor’s implementation consultants. Rather than compromise efficiency, or redesign proven processes which took years to develop and implement, an organization will opt to delay or abando

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  • Quality Beliefs Determine Behavior

    29 April, 2014 by Craig Gygi, Executive Vice President Operations, MasterControl Inc.

    A few years back, I helped an international holding company assess the operations of their portfolio of companies. They wanted to know things like, “How Lean is the operation at each company?” “How far along is each company in its Six Sigma improvement journey?” And “What are the common opportunities and strengths we can build upon?” I visited company sites, reviewed operation activities, collected data, and interviewed executives and staff. I found that in many ways, the foundation for excellence in operations can be boiled down to a single, simple question: “How do you define quality?”

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  • Current Issues in Medical Device Risk Management

    29 July, 2014 by Edwin Bills, RAC Consultant

    Medical devices have been developed with some requirements for product safety since the implementation of the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  Initially FDA required manufacturers to submit information related to safety as part of the 510(k) premarket notification process, providing comparative data on predicate devices versus the device under consideration.  In the more rigorous Premarket Approval (PMA) process, more detailed safety inform

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  • INFOGRAPHIC: Closed-Loop Quality Management and the Cost of Inaction

    11 September, 2014 David R. Butcher, Marketing Communications, MasterControl

    In today’s global manufacturing environment, continuing to rely on outdated, siloed quality management technology comes at a cost that many regulated companies simply cannot afford, new research indicates. That is why leading manufacturers are taking quality management further, leveraging EQMS to develop closed-loop quality processes that track quality throughout the value chain.

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  • Why Do Corrective Actions Fail?

    23 September, 2014 Ed Grounds, President Integrated Solution Providers Software, Inc.

    Each year, the most popular learning course we provide is targeted at developing the skills necessary for our customers’ associates to implement their corrective action programs effectively and efficiently. Throughout the years, we have been asked the same question hundreds of times, “What are the most common reasons corrective actions fail?” Usually this question is asked during the corrective action learning session by a management team member hoping that we will deliver the message to the other team members that they are failing. Normally, we turn the question back around to the group and ask them why they think their corrective action program fails. The most common answers we hear are: limited time, resources, training, or not knowing which tools to use.

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  • What Is Driving More Organizations to Plan an EQMS Adoption?

    28 October, 2014 David R. Butcher, Marketing Communications, MasterControl

    In response to increased pressure to simultaneously meet compliance, mitigate risks and improve cost savings, a growing number of organizations are taking steps to transform their quality management by adopting enterprise quality management software (EQMS). Research indicates that approximately 40 percent of companies are currently planning to implement an EQMS solution. What are the key drivers behind the rising number of companies moving toward EQMS adoption?

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