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Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

  • 1.  Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 13:57
    Hi all,

    Welcome to our first Ask Me Anything session on RegEx! Today, we are very excited to have RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks with us to answer your questions related to regulatory and what's in store for RAPS in 2018 and beyond.

    Please use this thread to post your questions for Paul and he will respond back in real-time.

    Looking forward to a great session!

    ------------------------------
    Heather Arkwright
    Community Manager
    RAPS
    regex@raps.org
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:11
    We are aware of some technical difficulties so I will be posting some questions coming in off line from members.

     This is great. I don't know if I can make it, but I would like him to know that I think that having RAPS provide MDSAP training modules is a GREAT IDEA! That's what RAPS should be for.

    ------------------------------
    Lindsay Currie
    Director of Stakeholder Engagement
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:17

    We have heard the discussion on RegEx forum regarding MDSAP preparation and noticed some interest in guidance on how manufacturers prepare for MDSAP audits (particularly addressing individual country requirements). RAPS has already contacted some subject experts from within the RAPS community and we are considering options for a possible webcast or series of webcasts. Happy to receive more input on what is needed and hope to have more news soon.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 15:04
    Hello Paul, thank you for your time,
    My questions is:  is there any cases we can learn how to evaluate the quality of lab data from Clinical Research Outsourcing? especially those outside of the US? who are responsible for this parts in FDA?

    ------------------------------
    Jiaojiao Ye
    Sunnyvale CA
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 17:01
    I think it would be interesting to hear input from other community members on this question.

    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:17
    Given the trend of AI, to what % do Paul think the FDA submission process can be automated?

    ------------------------------
    Michelle Wu
    Palo Alto CA
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:20
    Anytime I try to inspire someone to be RAC certified, common feeling is – this is certification – which looks good on you as an ornament, but has no real value when you try to trade it in?

    What can RAPS along with the industry do to change this perception?


    ------------------------------
    Rajeev Aneja RAC
    Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies - ENTERPRISE
    Skillman NJ
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:25

    Many RAC holders report strong personal fulfilment and satisfaction in achieving the RAC, they set themselves a goal and are pleased with the RAC as a validation of their role with the profession. RAPS also conducts a biannual scope of practice survey which indicates that people with the RAC on average report earning about 11% more than their colleagues-from the associate level to vice president (2016 compensation study). We also see some employers advertise RA positions indicating RAC is preferred or less often is requirement. Regulatory team leaders who have the RAC understand its value and tend to look favorably on job candidates who also have the RAC.

    Also important to note, the RAC indicates an ongoing commitment to ongoing education and improvement, as certification is not a one time hurdle but a demonstration and commitment to ongoing maintenance (continuous improvement). This can come across especially well during an interview or in discussion with one's supervisor.

    The following link provides some guidance for individuals on whether the RAC is right choice:

    https://www.raps.org/news-articles/news-articles/2017/2/is-regulatory-affairs-certification-right-for-you

    The RAC is the unique credential that represents experience, knowledge and ongoing commitment to a regulatory affairs career. RAPS of course is committed to promoting the value of RAC within the community and with employers and other stakeholders.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:21
    What a good question Michelle.

    I am aware there's a lot of research ongoing to understand how artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to streamline submission preparation. I think it very early to estimate the potential, but, anything that helps reduce some of the work must be a good thing. I think we will all watch this space with interest.

    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:24
    Can you comment on the effect that Brexit is having with regard to the new MDR and IVDR?

    ------------------------------
    William White
    Senior Consultant
    Elkhart IN
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:27

    Brexit is undoubtedly causing confusion and undermining confidence. All stakeholders need Brexit to be resolved as soon as possible. Many are making contingency plans for a possible hard Brexit but we are all hoping for a solution that maintains a steady and consistent regulatory landscape for the EU and UK. We are in the realm of politics and all relevant stakeholders are lobbying for a satisfactory and workable resolution. One thing is for sure Brexit is unhelpful during the MDR and IVDR implementation.  



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:29
    I work at an academic medical center in regulatory affairs. Any advice and guidance on using ESG? It took me months to get it set up to submit and now I am working on them accepting my submission. Not intuitive or straightforward at all. EIND does not mean emergency IND it means electronic IND when all of the submissions are electronic!.

    ------------------------------
    Patricia Mendoza
    Houston TX
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:32

    One of the reasons for the RegEx forum is so valuable is that community members can share experiences, best practices and tips. This is the kind of topic where members can support members much more effectively than RAPS HQ staff. You might find the following items of interest:

    https://www.raps.org/news-articles/news-articles/2018/1/best-practices-for-ind-sponsor-communications-fda-finalizes-guidance. IND Application Fast Facts

    Date: 06 January 2017  By Valerie Fauvelle

    This article provides information companies need when filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help make the application process more efficient. It addresses common questions and concerns that develop across multiple companies and multidisciplinary groups. When is there a 30-day FDA review? After filing an IND application with FDA, there is a mandatory 30-day review period. 1 The purpose of this review i...

    I know I am not answering your question, but, hope others in the community can jump-in with their thoughts.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:32
    Thank you Paul, I am current a Stanford Student and I am working with a team of students from different department (business, bio-engineering and computer science department) to understand how AI/machine learning can help to streamline the FDA submission process. We will be incredibly grateful if you can try out our MVP (minimal viable product) and provide feedback
    http://demo.nova-approval.com/
    you can quickly find the (1)registration pathway, (2)estimated timeline and (3)cost by typing in a simple sentence to describe your medical product, e.g. "I want to build a medical device to monitor patient's blood pressure", then you can export the data into a well formatted slide. But as mentioned, we are students and not expert in regulatory affairs, would be great to hear the experts' opinions on what they would like AI to help with their work.

    Millions of thanks!
    Michelle

    ------------------------------
    Michelle Wu
    Palo Alto CA
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:35
    What is your opinion about the role of Innovation in the Regulatory Affairs space? I refer explicitly to eQMS software, automation, traceability and affordability of these systems for SME and large Corporations.
    What is, in your opinion, the future of Clinical Evaluations for regulatory purposes? Do you see any important technical trend or innovation gaining traction?
    Finally: what is your current opinion about the regulatory environment in the US and EU after the recent changes in regulation? Do you see any obvious unmet need looking for solutions?

    ------------------------------
    Andrea Biasiucci
    Düdingen
    Switzerland
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:45

    I think this innovation question is really interesting. I think we all support solutions that ease the burden and offer some automation. I think its also important we retain the role of the professional to ensure the accuracy and relevance of all solutions. 

    Regarding clinical evaluations clearly within the EU MDR I think this work load will increase significantly and will require increased regulatory and clinical capacity for foreseeable future. 

    Clearly the US and EU regulatory landscapes are always evolving, I can only see more work and complexity for RA professionals and plenty of opportunity to address their need to do more without all the resources in place.  



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 17.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:35
    I am aware of the work at Stanford and very interested. I will respond separately to you.

    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:39
    What are your thoughts on the current U.S. regulatory landscape for In Vitro Diagnostics, especially for companies that may be considering entering the market of companion diagnostics? What should manufacturers and specification developers anticipate in the coming year, 3 years, and 5 years?

    ------------------------------
    Shelley Arnold
    Woodland Hills CA
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 19.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:46
    How do you think the regulatory profession will evolve over the next 10 years and what are the plans by RAPS to evolve with these changes?

    ------------------------------
    Kandarp Shah RAC, PhD
    Regulatory Affairs Specialist
    Yorba Linda CA
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 20.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:49

    RAPS has just completed a three plan to support our strategic priorities:

    • Proactively address evolving regulatory competencies required for the global profession
    • Deliver valuable and accessible learning and professional development experiences  
    • Inform regulatory professionals of complex and evolving healthcare product regulatory developments
    • Empower a community focused on interactions, relationships and knowledge-sharing

    We will be constantly reviewing and updating it to stay relevant in the RA community.

    What we can be fairly sure is that like all professions we will see constant and faster change. Regulations are evolving and emerging internationally. Complexity is increasing. New technology is constantly changing the playing field.

    We all need to stay informed, remain flexible and acquiring more skills and knowledge to respond and adapt to the RA environment.

    The healthcare sector depends on the RA profession to ensure we gain knowledge to drive enhancement and effectiveness of existing products, while also working to identify new and better innovations to drive the best patient outcomes. This environment can only flourish and support timely access by patients with a strong and strategic RA profession leading the way to market for safe products.   

    I don't know what RA looks like in ten years, but I know it will be even more important and crucial to our sector.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 21.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:47

    The US IVD regulatory environment is an evolving situation, clearly, we saw some proposals in 2017 and no doubt there will be further developments. RAPS RF covers news daily and this RegEx forum is a great place to exchange views on this topic.

    Companion diagnostics is a dynamic space and outside my personal area of direct experience, but, within the RAPS community there are IVD experts who should and do engage on this discussion including sessions at our annual Convergence conference.   



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 22.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:49
    Is a degree in Regulatory Science considered worth the time, effort and money to advance my opportunity in Regulatory? If not, what is the most important thing that would affect advancing in a career in Regulatory?

    ------------------------------
    Mariangela Galante
    Cambridge
    United Kingdom
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  • 23.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:50
    Are there any plans to make a separate RAC based on industry instead of location? As a Regulatory Specialist with a Medical Device manufacturer whose products are distributed worldwide, a RAC based on global medical device regulation for be far more valuable and something I would sign up for.

    ------------------------------
    Rene' Hardee
    Sr. Regulatory Affairs Specialist
    Melbourne FL
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 24.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:52

    RAPS has conducted some research in 2017 that indicates significant interest in a product based RAC (devices and drugs). We are actively working on identifying how to respond to this preference and how to prepare for a possible product based RAC as a new option.

    It is important to note that the RAC is separate to RAPS with a separate board (RACB) it is accredited and dependent on the work and direction provided by current RAC holders who volunteer to help increase the value and guide the direction of the RAC.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 25.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:50

    The answer may depend on individual circumstances and goals. Different employers may value credentials differently, but in general, regulatory experience is most highly valued. Whether you choose to pursue a degree, certificate or something else, it should be part of a larger plan to gain practical experience in your chosen area. Not only will it be noticed by employers, but it will help you learn how to apply your knowledge and gain confidence.

    We often see on RegEx the concerns about how to gain more experience and we are thinking about the RAPS community can help.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 26.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:51
    What is your vision of advancing the strategic influence of regulatory professionals in organizations so they would be one of the drivers of business strategy? or if RAPS is now focusing on building technical (i.e. regulatory) competencies and skills?

    ------------------------------
    Winifred Wu FRAPS, MBA, RPH
    President and Founder
    Minneapolis MN
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 27.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:54

    I think RAPS has to do both--leading the profession and supporting the professional. There is much greater recognition now than ever before of how regulatory knowledge and expertise impacts organizations' strategic and business success. Building awareness of what regulatory professionals do and its importance is a key part of how RAPS works to advance the profession. We also recognize the need for individuals build their own skills and competencies in a range of areas, so we offer education and training through online courses, publications and face-to-face events.

    RAPS has set ourselves the following strategic priorities for the next three years:

    • Proactively address evolving regulatory competencies required for the global profession
    • Deliver valuable and accessible learning and professional development experiences  
    • Inform regulatory professionals of complex and evolving healthcare product regulatory developments
    • Empower a community focused on interactions, relationships and knowledge-sharing

    But RAPS staff will not move the needle alone. Engagement and leadership from the entire RAPS community is needed to progress this and many other priorities.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 28.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:57
    If I had 15 minutes to help RAPS and engage in an activity that would also be mutually beneficial (for my career), what should I do with my 15 minutes? How if I had 15 minutes every week, or every day?
    What is the one thing at/for RAPS that would make you feel successful if it was completed this year? What about at the end of 5 years?
    How does an FDA employee get to RAPS Vancouver in a year of Continuing Resolutions and pending shutdowns? How can RAPS help make this possible?

    ------------------------------
    Andrea Chamblee Esq., RAC, FRAPS

    This information and views expressed are provided in my capacity as an FDA and compliance professor at Johns Hopkins and George Washington universities, and do not necessarily represent the official views of the agency or the United States. Consult the Agency for an official position.

    Silver Spring MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 29.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 14:59

    There are many parts to this question, I can try to address some of them. With limited time available one great way to engage in RAPS is the RegEx Forum, it can take a few minutes a day and provides an excellent opportunity to learn about common concerns and trending topics. RegEx also provide a great opportunity to not only learn but give back to the community – truly members supporting members, sharing experience and tapping into the community experience. These little moments of engagement and interaction add up to quite a lot over the course of a year-and they can be where some of the best nuggets of insight and information come from. There are many other volunteer opportunities at RAPS and RAC preparation is something that can be tackled a bit at time using RAPS resources.

    RAPS always welcomes all regulatory staff to Convergence and we are always open to ideas on how to support their participation within RAPS budget constraints (as a non-profit RAPS will operate a budget towards achieving breakeven in 2018). For those who simply cannot travel to be there onsite, there are also ways to engage virtually. While they would miss the face-to-face interactions, they would still be able to access valuable content.



    ------------------------------
    Paul Brooks
    Executive Director
    Rockville MD
    United States
    ------------------------------



  • 30.  RE: Ask Me Anything: RAPS Executive Director Paul Brooks

    Posted 24-Jan-2018 15:08
    Hi all,

    Thanks for such a wonderful session with really interesting, thought-provoking questions. I want to extend a HUGE thank you to Paul for his time and attention today.

    Be on the lookout for our next session, as we hope to continue to do these regularly!



    ------------------------------
    Heather Arkwright
    Community Manager
    RAPS
    regex@raps.org
    ------------------------------