New WHO Guidance on Process Validation

This presentation is compiled by “ Drug Regulations”
a non profit organization which provides free online
resource to the Pharmaceutical Professional.
Visit http://www.drugregulations.org for latest
information from the world of Pharmaceuticals.
7/5/2016 1

This presentation is compiled from freely available
resource like the website of WHO, specifically the
WHO Draft Guidance on Process Validations.
“Drug Regulations” is a non profit organization
which provides free online resource to the
Pharmaceutical Professional.
7/5/2016 2
Drug Regulations : Online
Resource for Latest Information

 This presentation is based on
 WHO Working document
◦ QAS/16.666 May 2016
◦ titled “ Guidelines on Validation”
7/5/2016 3Drug Regulations : Online Resource for Latest Information

 WHO published guidance on Validations in TRS No. 937 Annex 4, 2006
titled Supplementary guidelines on good manufacturing practices:
validation
 Prequalification of Medicines Programme had identified the need for
revision of this guidance
 A draft document was circulated for comment in early 2013.
 The focus of the revision was the Appendix on non-sterile process
validation (Appendix 7),
 This had been revised and was adopted by the Committee at its forty-
ninth meeting in October 2014.

 The main text included in this working document
constitutes the general principles of the new
guidance on validation.
 The draft on the specific topics, the appendices to
this main text, will follow.
 Overview on the appendices that are intended to
complement this general guidance is given in
subsequent slides.

 Appendix 1
◦ Validation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems will
be replaced by cross-reference to WHO Guidelines on GMP for HVAC
systems for considerations in qualification of HVAC systems
◦ (update - working document QAS/15.639/Rev.1)
 Appendix 2
◦ Validation of water systems for pharmaceutical use
◦ Will be replaced by cross-reference to WHO Guidelines on water for
pharmaceutical use for consideration in qualification of water
purification systems

 Appendix 3
◦ Cleaning validation – consensus to retain
 Appendix 4
◦ Analytical method validation – update in process
 Appendix 5
◦ Validation of computerized systems – update in progress

 Appendix 6
◦ Qualification of systems and equipment – update in process
 Appendix 7
◦ Non-sterile process validation –
◦ update already published as Annex 3, WHO Technical Report Series, No.
992, 2015

 Validation is an essential part of good practices
 This includes good manufacturing practices (GMP) and good
clinical practices (GCP).
 It is therefore an element of the pharmaceutical quality system.
 Validation, as concept, incorporates qualification
 It should be applied over the life cycle ,
◦ e.g. the applicable product, process, system, equipment or utility.
 These guidelines cover the general principles of validation and
qualification.

 In addition to the main part, appendices on validation and
qualification following validations are included in appendix.
◦ Cleaning
◦ Computer and computerized systems
◦ Equipment
◦ Utilities and systems
◦ Analytical methods

 Following principles apply:
◦ The execution of validation should be in compliance with regulatory
expectations;
◦ Quality, safety and efficacy must be designed and built into the product;
◦ Quality cannot be inspected or tested into the product;
◦ Quality risk management principles should be applied in determining the
need, scope and extent of validation;
◦ Ongoing review should take place to ensure that the validated state is
maintained and opportunities for continuing improvement are identified.

 The implementation of validation work requires considerable
resources such as:
◦ Time: generally validation work is subject to rigorous time schedules;
◦ Financial: validation often requires the time of specialized personnel and
expensive technology.
◦ Human: validation requires the collaboration of experts from various
disciplines
 (e.g. a multidisciplinary team, comprising quality assurance, engineering,
information technology, manufacturing and other disciplines, as appropriate.).

 These guidelines focus mainly on the overall concept of
validation
 They are not intended to be prescriptive in specific validation
requirements.
 This document serves as general guidance only
 The principles may be considered useful in its application
◦ In the manufacture and control of starting materials and
◦ Finished pharmaceutical products (FPPs), as well as other areas.

 Validation of specific processes and systems
requires much more consideration
 A detailed approach that is beyond the scope of
this document.
◦ For example, in sterile product manufacture,

 There are many factors affecting different types of validation
 This document is not intended to define and address all
aspects related to one particular type of validation.
 The general text in the main part of these guidelines may be
applicable to validation and qualification of
◦ Premises
◦ Equipment
◦ Utilities
◦ Systems
◦ Processes and procedures.

 The definitions given below apply to the terms
used in these guidelines.  They may have different
meanings in other contexts.

 Calibration.
◦ The set of operations that establish, under specified  conditions,
the relationship between values indicated by an instrument or
system for measuring (for example, weight, temperature and pH),
recording, and controlling, or the values represented by a material
measure, and the corresponding known values of a reference
standard.  Limits for acceptance of the results of measuring should
be established.

 Change control (including change
management).
◦ A formal system by which qualified representatives of
appropriate disciplines review proposed or actual changes that
might affect a validated status.
◦ The intent is to determine the need for action that would
ensure that the system is maintained in a validated state
(reference working document

 Cleaning validation.
◦ Documented evidence to establish that cleaning
procedures are removing residues to
predetermined levels of acceptability, taking into
consideration factors such as batch size, dosing,
toxicology and equipment size.

 Commissioning.
◦ The setting up, adjustment and testing of equipment or a
system to ensure that it meets all the requirements, as
specified in the user requirement specification, and
capacities as specified by the designer or developer.
◦ Commissioning is carried out before qualification and
validation.

 Computer validation (including
computerized system validation).
◦ Confirmation by examination and provision of
objective documented evidence that
computerized system specifications conform to
user needs and intended uses, and that all
requirements can be consistently fulfilled.

 Concurrent validation.
◦ Validation carried out during routine production
of products intended for sale.
 Design qualification.
◦ Documented verification that the proposed
design of facilities, systems and equipment is
suitable for the intended purpose.

 Good engineering practices.
◦ Established engineering methods and standards
that are applied throughout the project life-cycle
to deliver appropriate, cost-effective solutions.

 Installation qualification.
◦ Documented verification that the installations
(such as machines, computer system
components, measuring devices, utilities and
manufacturing areas) used in a processor system
are appropriately selected and correctly installed
in accordance with established specifications.

 Operational qualification.
◦ Documented verification that the system or
subsystem operates as intended over all
anticipated operating ranges.

 Performance qualification.
◦ Documented verification that the equipment or
system performs consistently and reproducibly
within defined specifications and parameters in
its normal operating environment
 (i.e. in the production environment). (In the context
of systems, the term “process validation” may also
be used.)

 Process validation.
◦ The collection and evaluation of data, throughout
the product life cycle, which provides
documented scientific evidence that a process is
capable of consistently delivering quality
products.

 Prospective validation.
◦ Validation carried out during the development stage
on the basis of a risk analysis of the production
process, which is broken down into individual steps;
◦ these are then evaluated on the basis of past
experience to determine whether they may lead to
critical situations.

 Qualification.
◦ Documented evidence that premises, systems or
equipment are able to achieve the predetermined
specifications properly installed, and/or work
correctly and lead to the expected results.
 Qualification is often a part (the initial stage) of
validation, but the individual qualification steps
alone do not constitute process validation.

 Revalidation.
◦ Repeated validation of a previously validated
system (or a part thereof) to ensure continued
compliance with established requirements.

 Standard operating procedure.
◦ An authorized written procedure giving instructions for
performing operations not necessarily specific to a given product
or material but of a more general nature (e.g. equipment
operation, maintenance and cleaning; validation; cleaning of
premises and environmental control; sampling and inspection).
◦ Certain standard operating procedures may be used to
supplement product-specific master batch production
documentation.

 Validation.
◦ Action of proving and documenting that any
process,  procedure or method actually and consistently
leads to the expected results.

 Validation master plan.
◦ The validation master plan is a
 high-level document that establishes an umbrella validation plan for the
entire project and
 summarizes the manufacturer’s overall philosophy and approach, to be
used for establishing performance adequacy.
◦ It provides information on the manufacturer’s validation work programme
◦ It defines details of and timescales for the validation work to be
performed, including a statement of the responsibilities of those
implementing the plan.

 Validation protocol.
◦ A document describing the activities to be performed during a
validation, including the acceptance criteria for the approval of
a process or system – or a part thereof – for intended use.
 Validation report.
◦ A document in which the records, results and evaluation of
validation are assembled and summarized. It may also contain
proposals for the improvement of processes and/or systems
and/or equipment.

 Verification.
◦ The application of methods, procedures, tests and other evaluations, in
addition to monitoring, to determine compliance with established
requirements and specifications.
 Worst case.
◦ A condition or set of conditions encompassing the upper and lower
processing limits for operating parameters and circumstances, within
SOPs, which pose the greatest chance of product or process failure when
compared to ideal conditions. Such conditions do not necessarily include
product or process failure.

 Qualification and validation are essentially the same.
 The term qualification is normally used for equipment
and utilities, and validation for systems and processes.
 In this sense, qualification can be seen as part of
validation.
 Where the term “validation” is used in the presentation,
the same principles may be applicable for “qualification”

 Approaches to validation
◦ Manufacturers should organize and plan
validation in a manner that will ensure product
quality, safety and efficacy throughout its life
cycle.
◦ The scope and extent of qualification and
validation should be based on risk management
principles.

 Statistical calculations should be applied,
 Scientific evidence should be provided that the
process, system or other related aspect is
appropriately validated.
 Qualification and validation should be done in
accordance with predetermined protocols,
 The results appropriately documented, e.g. in
reports.

 There should be an appropriate and effective quality
system
 This should ensure the organization and management of
validation.
 Senior management should ensure that there are sufficient
resources to perform validation in a timely manner.
 Management and persons responsible for quality
assurance should be actively involved in the process and
authorization of protocols and reports.

 Personnel with appropriate qualification and experience
should be responsible for performing validation.
 There should be a specific programme or schedule to
support planning and execution of validation activities.
 Validation should be performed in a structured way
according to the documented protocols and
procedures.

 The scope and extent of validation should be based
on
◦ Knowledge and experience, and
◦ Outcome of quality risk management principles
 as described in the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on
quality risk management.
◦ Where necessary worst-case situations or specific challenge tests
should be considered for inclusion in the validation,
 for example, stress load and volume verification in computer system
validation.

 Qualification and validation should be done
according to written procedures.

 Documents associated with qualification and validation
include:
◦ Specifications;
◦ Protocols and reports;
◦ Validation master plan (VMP);
◦ Standard operating procedures (SOPs);
◦ Risk assessment outcomes;
◦ Process flow charts;
◦ Operator manuals;
◦ Training records;

 Documents associated with qualification and validation
include:
◦ Calibration procedures and records;
◦ Sampling plans;
◦ Testing plans and methods;
◦ Statistical methods and results;
◦ History of qualification or validation;
◦ Plan for ensuring review of validation status;
◦ Plan for ensuring maintaining a validated state

 A manufacturer should have a VMP which reflects the key elements of
validation.
 It should be concise and clear and contain at least the following:
◦ Title page and authorization (approval signatures and dates);
◦ Table of contents;
◦ Abbreviations and glossary;
◦ Validation policy; philosophy, intention and approach to validation;
◦ Roles and responsibilities of relevant personnel;
◦ Resources to ensure validation is done;
◦ Outsourced services (selection, qualification, management through life cycle);
◦ Deviation management in validation;

 A manufacturer should have a VMP which reflects the key elements of
validation.
◦ Change control in validation;
◦ Risk management principles in validation;
◦ Training;
◦ Scope of validation;
◦ Documentation required in qualification and validation such as procedures,
certificates, protocols and reports;
◦ Premises qualification;
◦ Utilities qualification;
◦ Equipment qualification;

 A manufacturer should have a VMP which reflects the key elements of validation.
◦ Process validation;
◦ Cleaning validation;
◦ Personnel qualification such as analyst qualification;
◦ Analytical method validation;
◦ Computerized system validation;
◦ Establishing acceptance criteria;
◦ Life-cycle management including retirement policy;
◦ Requalification and revalidation;
◦ Relationship with other quality management elements; validation matrix;
◦ References.

 The VMP should be reviewed at regular intervals and kept up
to date according to current GMP.

 There should be qualification and validation
protocols describing the qualification and
validation to be performed.
 As a minimum the protocols should include the
following significant background information:
◦ See subsequent slides

 The objectives;
 The site;
 The responsible personnel
 Description of the standard operating procedures (SOPs)
to be followed;
 Equipment or instruments to be used;
 Standards and criteria as appropriate;
 The stage of validation or qualification;

 The processes and/or parameters;
 Sampling, testing and monitoring requirements;
 Stress testing where appropriate;
 Calibration requirements;
 Predetermined acceptance criteria for drawing
conclusions; review and interpretation of results;
 Change control, deviations;
 Archiving and retention.

 There should be a description of the way in which
the results will be analyzed
 This should include statistical analysis where
appropriate
 The protocol should be approved prior to use.
 Any changes to a protocol should be approved
prior to implementation of the change.

 There should be written reports on the qualification and
validation performed.
 Reports should reflect the protocols and procedures followed
 They should
◦ Include at least the title and objective of the study;
◦ Make reference to the protocol;
◦ Reference to the appropriate risk assessment;
◦ Details of materials, equipment, programmes and cycles used;
procedures and test methods with appropriate traceability.

 Results should be recorded
 They should be in compliance with good data and record
management practices.
 Results should be
 Reviewed, analyzed and compared against the justified
predetermined acceptance criteria,
 Interpreted and statistically analysed where appropriate.

 Results should meet the acceptance criteria.
 Deviations, out-of specification and out-of-limit results
should be documented.
 They should be investigated according to appropriate
procedures.
 If these deviations are accepted, this should be justified.
 Where necessary, further studies should be performed.

 The conclusion of the report should state whether or not
the  outcome of the qualification and/or validation was
considered successful,
 They should make recommendations for future monitoring
and setting of alert and action limits where applicable.

 The departments responsible for the qualification
and validation work should approve the completed
report.
 The quality assurance department should approve
the report after the final review.
 The criteria for approval should be in accordance
with the company’s quality assurance system.

 Any deviations found during the validation process
should be managed and documented.
 Corrective actions should be considered.

 There are different approaches in qualification and
validation.
 The manufacturer should select an appropriate
approach for the conduct thereof.
 Figure 1 gives the V-model as an example of an
approach to qualification and validation.

 All relevant SOPs for operation, maintenance and
calibration should be prepared during qualification.
 Training should be provided to operators and
training records should be maintained.
 Normally, qualification should be completed before
process validation is performed

 The process of qualification
◦ Should be a logical, systematic process and
◦ Should follow a logical flow from the premises,
◦ Followed by utilities, equipment, to procedures and
processes.

 Stages of qualification
 Should normally start with the preparation of user requirement
specifications (URS).
 Depending on the function and operation of the utility, equipment or
system,
 This is followed by different stages in qualification
◦ Factory acceptance test (FAT)
◦ Site acceptance test (SAT)
◦ Design qualification (DQ)
◦ Installation qualification (IQ)
◦ Operational qualification (OQ)
◦ Performance qualification (PQ)

 One stage of qualification should be successfully completed
before the next stage is initiated, e.g. from IQ to OQ.
 In some cases, only IQ and OQ may be required,
◦ In such instances the correct operation of the equipment, utility or system
could be considered to be a sufficient indicator of its performance.
 Major equipment and critical utilities and systems, however,
may require URS, DQ, IQ, OQ and PQ.

 Computerized systems, including equipment with software
component(s), require
 User and functional requirements specifications
 Design and configuration specifications
 Development of SOPs
 Training programmes for system use and administration
 An appropriate level of IQ, OQ and PQ verification testing.

 This includes tests such as
 Stress
 Load
 Volume and other performance verification tests that mimic
the live production environment.
 It also includes
◦ User acceptance testing according to draft SOPs
◦ Training as well as end-to-end business processes for intended use.

 User requirement specifications
◦ Manufacturers should prepare a document that describes the
utility or equipment to be sourced.
◦ The requirements and specifications for the utility or equipment
should be defined by the user and documented in the URS.
◦ The URS should be used
 When selecting the required utility or equipment from an approved
supplier,
 To verify suitability throughout the subsequent stages of qualification.

 Factory acceptance test and site acceptance
test
◦ Where appropriate, FAT and SAT should be performed to
verify the suitability of the system at site, prior to the
subsequent stages of qualification.
◦ This should be appropriately documented.

 Design qualification
◦ DQ should provide documented evidence that the design
specifications were met and are in accordance with the URS.
 Installation qualification
◦ IQ should provide documented evidence that the
installation was complete and satisfactory.

 The design specifications, including purchase specifications,
drawings, manuals, spare parts lists and vendor details should be
verified during IQ
 Similarly the configuration specifications for the intended
operational environment should be verified.
 Components installed should be verified
 There should be documented evidence to demonstrate that
components meet specifications, are traceable and are of the
appropriate material of construction
 Control and measuring devices should be calibrated.

 Operational qualification
◦ OQ should provide documented evidence that utilities, systems or
equipment and all its components operate in accordance with operational
specifications
◦ Tests should be designed to demonstrate satisfactory operation over the
normal operating range as well as at the limits of its operating conditions
(including worst-case conditions).
◦ Operation controls, alarms, switches, displays and other operational
components should be tested.
◦ Measurements made in accordance with a statistical approach should be
fully described.

 Performance qualification
◦ P Q should be conducted prior to release of the utilities, systems
or equipment
 Under conditions simulating conditions of intended use
 To provide documented evidence that utilities, systems or equipment
and all its components can consistently perform in accordance with the
specifications under routine use.
 Test results should also be collected over a suitable period of time
 This should be during continuous process verification and/or periodic
review and monitoring of the utilities, systems and equipment to prove
consistency.

 Requalification
 Utilities, systems and equipment should be maintained in a validated state.
 Any changes made to these should be managed through the change control
procedure.
 The extent of validation or qualification as a result of such a change should be
determined based on risk management principles.
 Requalification should be done based on the identified need.
 The requalification should be considered based on risk management principles.
 Factors such as the frequency of use, breakdowns, results of operation, criticality,
preventive maintenance, repairs, calibration, verification may be considered.

 Requalification
 Changes of equipment which involve the replacement of
equipment on a “like-for-like” basis will require requalification.
Replacement of parts may not require full requalification.
 Where a system, utility or equipment has not been used for an
extended period of time, requalification may have to be
considered.
 Where appropriate, periodic requalification may be performed.

 Revalidation
◦ Systems should be in place to ensure that procedures remain in a
validated state,
◦ e.g. such as through verification in cleaning validation and analytical
method validation.
◦ Revalidation should be done when the need is identified.
◦ Where periodic revalidation is done, this should be done in accordance
with a defined schedule to ensure that the validated state is maintained.
◦ Periodic revalidation should be considered as some process changes may
occur gradually over a period of time, or because of wear of equipment.
◦ The frequency and extent of revalidation should be determined using a
risk-based approach together with a review of historical data.

 Process validation
 “New approach”
◦ It is recommended that manufacturers implement the new approach in
process validation. See Guidelines on process validation.
 “Traditional approach”
◦ Where the “traditional approach” in process validation is followed, the
need for validation should be considered, e.g. through product quality
review.

 Changes should be controlled in accordance with an SOP
as  changes may have an impact on a qualified utility or piece of
equipment, and a validated process, system and/or procedure.
 When a change is initiated, consideration should be given
to  previous changes and whether requalification and/or
revalidation is needed as a result of the cumulative effect of the
changes.
 The procedure should describe the actions to be taken, including
the need for and extent of qualification or validation to be done.

 Deviations during validation and qualification should
be  documented and investigated, through the deviation
management procedure

 Calibration and verification of equipment, instruments and other
devices, as applicable, should be initiated during installation
qualification
 It should be ensured that the system operates according to the
described specifications
 This is because the calibration status could have been affected
during transport and installation.
 Thereafter, it should be performed at regular intervals in
accordance with a calibration programme and SOPs.
 Personnel who carry out calibration and preventive maintenance
should have an appropriate qualification and training.

 A calibration programme should be available and should
provide information such as calibration standards and limits,
responsible persons, calibration intervals, records and actions
to be taken when problems are identified.
 There should be traceability to standards (e.g. national,
regional or international standards) used in the calibration.
 A valid certificate of calibration should be maintained which is
dated and includes reference to and traceability to,
◦ e.g. standards used, acceptance limits, uncertainty where applicable,
range, calibration due date.

 Calibrated equipment, instruments and other devices should
be labelled, coded or otherwise identified to indicate the
status of calibration
 It should also have the date on which recalibration is due.
 When the equipment, instruments and other devices have not
been used for a certain period of time, their function and
calibration status should be verified and shown to be
satisfactory before use.

 Equipment, instruments and other devices should be
calibrated before or on the due date for calibration to ensure
that they remain in a calibrated state.
 Where instruments and devices are identified as critical or
non- critical, or impacting and non-impacting for the
purpose of calibration, documented evidence of the decision
making process should be available.
 This should include impact and or risk assessment.

This presentation is compiled from freely available
resource like the website of WHO, specifically the
WHO Draft Guidance on Process Validations.
“Drug Regulations” is a non profit organization
which provides free online resource to the
Pharmaceutical Professional.
7/5/2016 83
Drug Regulations : Online
Resource for Latest Information

New WHO Guidance on Process Validation

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