DRAP finalized guidelines on Post Registration Variations of Pharmaceutical and Biological Drug Products

DRAP has finalized its guidelines on procedure and data requirement for post registration variation of pharmaceutical and biological drug products. This document will assist manufacturers and importers to incorporate variations in their product to account administrative changes, technical and scientific progress, or to improve or introduce additional safeguards.

These Guidelines will assist both Regulators and Industry on the regulation of variation / changes to the original registrations / Market Authorization of products in terms of procedures and criteria for the appropriate categorization, reporting of changes and subsequent approval as required. Data requirements are listed out to evaluate the impact of the proposed / intended change on the quality, safety and efficacy of the locally manufactured / imported finished pharmaceutical and biological drug products intended for human and veterinary use.

Registration holders of Pharmaceutical / Biological drug products for human and veterinary use are responsible for the safety, efficacy and quality of a finished pharmaceutical / biological drug product that is placed on the market throughout its approved life cycle. These guidelines are intended to provide supportive information for submission of post registration variation application by the registrations / marketing authorization holders of the finished drug products to implement a change. These guidelines will:-

  1. Facilitate the interpretation of the relevant regulations and decisions of Registration Board regarding post registration variations of registered drug products.
  2. Assist applicants to determine type of variation applies in each case with the classification entailing prior approval or intimation to DRAP.
  3. Provide guidance as per applicable SOPs on the conditions and other data requirements to support variance application.

The draft guidelines on data requirements for post registration variation were prepared three years ago and was available on the DRAP’ s website. Stakeholders have submitted their comments on the draft document and accordingly guidelines have been finalized after careful consideration of stakeholder’s comments.

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