Regulatory Open Forum

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  • 1.  Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 04-May-2015 15:39
    The company I currently work for is getting ready to purchase a finished product from another company to send with some of our instruments.  This is the first time that we will be purchasing a product from another company without labeling it as our own.  Does anyone else's company do this and what are your suggestions for tracking and inspecting these products?  

    Thank you, 
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    Bobbi Siddoway
    Salt Lake City UT
    United States
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  • 2.  RE:Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 05-May-2015 07:53
    Since you are indirectly guaranteeing or recommending the product by distributing it,, I would suggest you handle it similar to a private label even if your name is not on it. If regulated, make sure they have the correct clearances or approvals for where you market.

    Perhaps a supplier or quality audit of them? Also, consider some level of quality agreement with them to agree on who handles complaints and how complaint information is communicated and resolved between the companies and customers.
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    Ginger Cantor RAC
    Centaur Consulting LLC, Owner and Principal Consultant
    River Falls WI
    United States
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  • 3.  RE: Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 05-May-2015 11:09
    Ginger, 

    Thank you!  Just a few more questions, this is a Class I instrument that will added to our instrument cases which we do not sell but instead consign out to our Physicians.  The instrument is intended to attach to one of our instruments.  Would you add a fit check inspection?  Will we need to do a design change in order to add to our instrument case?  Are there any other processes you would include for this?

    Thank you, 

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    Bobbi Siddoway
    Salt Lake City UT
    United States
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  • 4.  RE: Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 06-May-2015 09:05
    Interesting discussion.   What if the purchased finished good were an OTC drug product?  How would distributorship differ from the role of manufacturer?

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    Debra Weigl
    Oklahoma City OK
    United States
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  • 5.  RE: Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 07-May-2015 08:40
    Hi Debra.

    My initial thought on this would be the result of the review would be similar.  An OTC just like a Class I needs to be traceable and therefore, you are essentially taking on the distribution role in the equation.  As a distributor under 21 CFR 210 and 211 you have responsibilities for keeping records and allowing FDA access to those records during inspections.  So in my opinion you would want a quality agreement, distribution agreement, and also routine quality audits (or access to information on quality audits performed by the manufacturer at least) and essentially deal with this as if you were a private label customer of the company manufacturing the OTC.

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    Victor Mencarelli
    Sr. Manager - Regulatory Affairs
    United States
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  • 6.  RE:Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 06-May-2015 12:58

    Hello Bobbi

    Yes I'd consider some type of fit check. You can contact me with more questions at centaurconsultingllc@gmail.com.
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    Ginger Cantor RAC
    Centaur Consulting LLC, Owner and Principal Consultant
    River Falls WI
    United States
    -------------------------------------------





  • 7.  RE: Purchased Finished Products

    Posted 06-May-2015 06:23
    Hi Bobbi,

    In my opinion your company has become a distributor of the purchased product. You'll then need to fulfil to all requirements for distributors. Each distributed device must be traceable. Also be aware of vigilance requirements.

    As Ginger outlined a quality agreement with your vendor can be considered.
    Please also consider a distribution agreement with your vendor, since the vendor will be responsible for registration of the product in case the product will be sent abroad.

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    Paul Kooijmans
    Regulatory Affairs manager
    Eurotrol B.V.
    Ede
    Netherlands
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