QMS Design Criteria for an effective and evolving QMS

Most of you will already have a QMS that has already been designed so the contents of this video will help you to consider how you can evolve an existing QMS to cope with new regulatory requirements, QMS ideas and business pressures.

In this video we begin to examine the actual structure of a Quality Management System in a little more detail. In thinking about the design criteria for a QMS we need to bear in mind issues, concerns and points related to contemporary quality thinking and points related to traditional pharmaceutical thinking.

Why does this matter to you? In the first instance, the Quality Management System is integral to the successful operation of your business and, in the second, you will be either responsible for this system (or elements of it) or, in some way, be dependent on it. In either instance you have a vested interest in the system’s design, implementation, maintenance and review.

Note: This video is taken from Chapter 1 of the second Unit of both our online QP Quality Management Systems course and also our Pharma Quality Management Systems course.

To see more videos on Quality Management Systems and Medicinal Chemistry visit our Vimeo Homepage

Our 5-day GMP Pharmaceutical GMP Auditor/Lead Auditor Training Course also reviews this topic in some detail.

Annex 1 has finally arrived, 25th Aug 2022 saw the publication of Annex 1. Normally, updates to GMP chapters and Annexes have a 6-month lead time for implementation. In the case of the new Annex 1, the lead time is 12 months, except for clause 8.123 relating to lyophilization which has 24 months lead time.

Annex 1 was first issued in 1971 as the only annex in the first ever UK guide to Good Manufacturing Practice. Since then, there have been several updates but not full revisions. In 2012 there was a proposal to revise Annex 1 with a re-proposal in 2014 by the UK’s MHRA. At the time, a full rewrite was considered unlikely and instead the intention was to provide a document that would confirm regulatory expectation and as such, not place any new requirements or costs on the pharmaceutical industry.

While this principle, is still upheld, it was clear from the first draft for public comment of December 2017, that a rewrite was being undertaken. The first draft created around 6200 comments coming from regulatory organizations, such as the pharmaceutical cooperation scheme, regulatory bodies outside of the EU, support organizations such as the Parenteral Drug Association, the Parenteral and Healthcare Sciences Society, the Pharmaceutical Microbiology Interest group as well as representatives from the manufacturers within the pharmaceutical industry to name just a few. Rarely do updates require a second public consultation but in the case of the annex 1 update a second draft was issued in March 2020 although this was a more targeted review in terms of the sections and clauses that comment was being sought for.

About the author

Andy Martin

Andy started working in the Pharmaceutical industry in 1985 as a lab technician for Smith & Nephew. Following this he had a number of roles culminating when he took over as QA Microbiology Manager. In 2003 he moved into Pharmaceutical Training and then in 2007 he moved back into Microbiology when he took up the position of Microbiology Manager for Catalent Pharma Solutions. Since 2012 he has operated as a consultant specialising in Microbiology and Quality Systems.

Training courses on Annex 1

There are a number of half-day workshops organised to take you through the changes in more detail and to look at how they relate to your organisation.

More details