The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public meeting in May 2019 to get comments and feedback about the making, marketing, sale and promotion of products with CBD (cannabidiol). The meeting generated much interest from businesses in the cannabis, cannabidiol and marijuana industry, with many wondering what new cannabis regulation may arise from those open meetings.
There is no doubt cannabis is a growing industry, with many states already legalizing the use of CBD and related products. As the industry evolves, there is more interest at the federal, state and consumer levels to regulate the industry. In November 2019 alone, there were 137 bills at the state level being considered for regulating hemp derivative and CBD products. Bipartisan efforts at the federal level have been calling for more controls, as have consumer groups.
Preparing for Regulations
There are a few things companies can do to prepare themselves for changes in this regulatory environment:
- Read up: The FDA has information on their website, and there are industry publications trying to stay current with rules and regulations. It can be challenging to know where to start, especially since there are so many sources and so much information. Nevertheless, reading can give you some overall impressions of regulatory trends.
- Look at current guidelines: You need to stay current with drug regulations for tracking, manufacturing and distribution. You will also want to use the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations set by the FDA to compare with your own processes and products. The CGMP rules are guidelines created for products that transform botanicals to drug products, so they apply to CBD and cannabis products.
- Create controls: Create consistent products and take the time to develop quality control processes. Create documentation systems so you always have the data you need to meet current regulatory guidelines. Current drug regulations place great emphasis on processes for quality control, so it makes sense to put extra focus on this area.
FDA Cannabis Regulations
The FDA is currently focusing on marketing language of cannabis-related products. In fact, the agency is sending out warning letters to companies making such products, in some cases based only on a business’s marketing strategy. For instance, the Federal Trade Commission sent one of those letters to a company that was claiming the CBD products they were offering were “proven” treatments for AIDS, autism and other conditions. In addition, the FDA has been warning the public about misleading or inaccurate claims of cannabis products.
If you make a product with CBD or cannabis and are considering any health claims for your product, be extra vigilant. Make sure you have the research and tests to back it up and work to create controls. Keep strict documentation on all your processes, marketing efforts and testing.
Cannabis Regulation
Developing solutions for regulation challenges does not have to be complicated in the cannabis industry. Regulatory Compliance Associates works with companies, helping them stay compliant. In the face of changing FDA regulations, we help you resolve regulatory and quality issues. Contact us at Regulatory Compliance Associates to find out more.
About RCA® Pharmaceutical Consulting Services
Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA) has helped thousands of pharmaceutical companies meet regulatory, compliance, quality assurance, and remediation challenges. With more than 20 years of experience with FDA, Health Canada, EU and global regulatory agencies worldwide, Regulatory Compliance Associates® offers leading pharmaceutical consultants. We’re one of the few pharma consulting companies that can help you navigate the challenges associated with industry regulations.
Our pharmaceutical consulting firm includes over 500 seasoned FDA, Health Canada & EU compliance consultants and regulatory affairs experts who understand industry complexities. It’s a pharma consultancy founded by regulatory compliance executives from the pharmaceutical industry. Every pharmaceutical industry consultant on the Regulatory Compliance Associates team knows the unique inner workings of the regulatory process.
Client Solutions
Whether you’re in the product planning, development or pharmaceutical lifecycle management stage or need a remediation strategy for a compliance crisis, Regulatory Compliance Associates will guide you through every pharmaceutical consulting step of the regulatory process. Our pharmaceutical consulting Experts will create a customized approach depending on your product and company’s individual needs. Our regulatory compliance clients include:
- Companies new to FDA, Health Canada or EU regulations and regulatory compliance
- Start-up organizations with novel submissions to 510(k) submissions from multi-national corporations
- Investment firms seeking private equity due diligence for pre-acquisition and post-deal research
- Law firms seeking pharmaceutical consulting firm expertise in the remediation of warning letters, consent decrees, 483’s or import bans
Regulatory Affairs
Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates backbone. We exceed other pharma consulting companies with industry experts experienced in complexities of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our pharma consulting expertise spans all facets and levels of Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, we specialize in Regulatory Support for New Products to Life Cycle Management, Outsourced Regulatory Affairs, Submissions, Training, and more.
As your partner, we can negotiate the potential assessment minefield of regulatory compliance services with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our breadth and depth of knowledge and regulatory compliance consulting. We offer the following pharma consulting regulatory affairs services for pharmaceutical companies.
- New Product Support
- Product Lifecycle
- Other Regulatory Services
- Combination Products
Compliance Assurance
The regulations process surrounding pharmaceutical companies can be tricky for even the most experienced industry veteran to understand. Just one misstep could mean significant and lasting consequences for your business. At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer the pharma consulting experience and pharma consultants necessary to guide you through the quality compliance process.
- Assessments
- Audits
- Regulatory Agency Response
- Preparation and Training
- Inspection Readiness
- Data Integrity
Quality Assurance
Regulatory Compliance Associates Quality consulting includes assessments, strategy, implementations, staff augmentations, and identification of quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Our pharma consultants understand the strategic thinking needed to align your business needs and goals. Regulatory Compliance Associates quality assurance services include quality experts with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. Our pharmaceutical consulting firm knows firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality. Finally, our regulatory compliance services team excels in transferring continuous improvement knowledge to your organization.
- 21 CFR Part 11
- Data Integrity
- Manufacturing Support
- Facility Support
- Quality Metrics
Remediation Services
Regulatory Compliance Associates has a proven remediation services approach to managing FDA Warning Letters, Consent Decrees, Remediation and other serious regulatory situations. Our pharma consultants know how to partner with executive, legal, and communication teams. Each RCA pharma consulting Expert will develop a response that will be accepted by the regulatory agency and be realistic to execute.
Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma regulatory consultants will develop a comprehensive proof book of documented evidence demonstrating the corrective action taken to remediate non-compliant issues. In addition, each Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma consulting Expert understands compliance enforcement. We’ll prepare a comprehensive pharma consulting strategy to assist in your remediation efforts, drive continuous improvement, and maintain regulatory compliance with the regulations.
- Regulatory Action
- Regulatory Compliance
- Regulatory Enforcement
- Warning Letter
- 483 Observation
- Oversight Services
- Risk Management Plan
About Regulatory Compliance Associates
Regulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides pharmaceutical consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:
- Life Sciences
- Pharmaceutical
- Biologic & Biotechnology
- Sterile compounding
- Medical device
- Lab Testing
We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.
As your partners, Regulatory Compliance Associates can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.
- Founded in 2000
- Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
- Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
- Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021
About Sotera Health
The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.
Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®, Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.
We are a trusted partner to 5,800+ customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.
Commitment to Quality
Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.
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