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FDA Releases Draft Documents on Compounding, Repackaging

The FDA has released five draft guidance documents related to drug compounding and repackaging that aim to help pharmacies, federal facilities, outsourcing facilities and physicians comply with important public health provisions.

The new category of outsourcing facilities was created under the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA), enacted by Congress in November 2013 in response to a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak that was linked to contaminated sterile compounded drug products. Drugs compounded in an outsourcing facility that meet certain conditions may be entitled to exemptions from certain provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), including the new drug approval requirements and the requirement to label drug products with adequate directions for use. Outsourcing facilities are subject to current good manufacturing practice requirements and inspections by the FDA according to a risk-based schedule.

Drugs produced by compounders that are not registered as outsourcing facilities must meet certain other conditions described in the FD&C Act, or they will be subject to all of the requirements applicable to drugs produced by conventional drug manufacturers.

“The draft guidance documents provide information to pharmacies, outsourcing facilities, health care entities, and others about these FDA-proposed policies, which are critical to protecting the public health,” said Janet Woodcock, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Source: www.painmedicinenews.com