EAS Blog
EAS Independent Consultants and staff provide in-depth regulatory expertise and authoritative reporting on a variety of compliance requirements for industries that EAS serves. Our experts break down complicated topics into easily understandable summaries and analysis. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive these monthly updates directly in your in-box.
Certified Group Partners with Groundswell Strategy to Strengthen Their Position as Food Safety Experts
SAN ANTONIO, August 17, 2022/PRNewswire/ -- Certified Group, a leading provider of laboratory testing services for customers working in FDA and USDA-regulated markets, today announced a partnership with Groundswell Strategy. The partnership enables Certified Group companies, Food Safety Net...
Adverse Event Reporting for OTC Drug Products
By Susan Crane, EAS Senior Advisor for OTC Drugs and LabelingAs part of its mission to protect the public health, the FDA monitors the safety of drug products marketed in the United States. This is accomplished through laws enacted by Congress as well as regulations established by the agency that...
Responding to an FDA Notice of Action
Timing is EverythingWhen importing FDA-regulated products into the U.S., time is money. So, when you receive an FDA Notice of Action, a prompt and appropriate response will expedite what comes next. Nearly 15% of U.S. imports are FDA-regulated products. That amounts to nearly $2.5 billion of goods...
Guidance for Industry: Enforcement Policy for Providing an Acceptable UFI
What You Need to Know EAS food facility registration clients will remember during the 2020 renewal period, the FDA had sent reminders of the requirement per 21 CFR 1.232(a)(2), of a unique facility identifier (UFI) for every location registered with the agency as a food facility. The UFI is...
Drug and Device Corner July 2022
EAS bids a fond farewell to Mr. Bryan Coleman, and welcomes Mrs. Lisa El-Shall as our new Sr. Director Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Consulting Services. Lisa can be reached at lelshall@easconsultinggroup.com, 571-447-5504.The FDA has finalized the UDI draft guidance document originally...
How to Get Microbiological Projects and Shelf-life Testing Done Easily
An extra day of shelf-life could save billions of dollars in wasted food. A 2014 study discovered that $2.64 billion could be saved annually if food waste could be reduced by giving products an extra day of shelf-life. The USDA also discovered in a 2010 study that 31% of the food produced annually...
FDA Expands Use of Remote Regulatory Assessments (RRA)
What You Need to KnowFDA’s use of Remote Regulatory Assessments (RRA), originally developed during the COVID-19 health emergency, is being expanded. Announced in a Draft Guidance for Industry on July 22, 2022, FDA intends to use mandatory and voluntary RRAs as part of a risk-based approach when...
Food Allergens and the FDA
An EAS and Food Safety News Complimentary Webinar. What’s Happening. Presented by Steve Gendel, EAS Independent Consultant. As we approach 20 years since the passage of the Food Allergen Control and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA), industry and the FDA continue to struggle with many...
EAS Welcomes Lisa El-Shall as Senior Director, Drug and Device Services
EAS Consulting Group is pleased to welcome Lisa El-Shall to the EAS management team. As Senior Director for Drug and Device Services, she will be responsible for advising clients on FDA regulatory and GMP compliance matters related to pharmaceutical and medical device products and operations. Lisa...
Drug and Device Corner June 2022
The FDA is tightening up the validation process in their NDC drug listing system CDER Direct. Prior to 2022, Relabelers and Repackers were able to list their products NDC/label without identifying the source NDC. As of 2022, the drug listing of a repackaged or relabeled product will fail...
Environmental Monitoring Programs in Tablets and Capsules Magazine
EAS Consultant, Tamika Cathey, is featured in Tablets and Capsules magazine with an article on establishing an effective environmental monitoring program. Contamination is costly, with recalls and fines for problematic products in the hundreds of millions. EAS offers assistance with design and...
Botanical Drugs: What Might the Future Hold?
By Brad Douglass, EAS Consulting Group Independent ConsultantThe Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Fulyzaq (crofelemer), an anti-diarrheal drug for HIV/AIDS patients, was a first for an oral, prescription botanical drug. Prior to that approval, the topical preparation Veregen...
What is Chemical Testing in Food?
In a nutshell, chemical testing helps confirm the contents of the food you manufacture. It enables you to maintain the quality of your products, ensuring that they are safe. Chemistry testing aims to verify the food's chemical composition, such as how much sugar, protein, or fat it has. It also...
EAS and Labstat Welcome New Incoming CTP Director, Brian A. King, Ph.D., M.P.H.
FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has announced the selection of a new CTP director, Brian A. King, Ph.D., M.P.H. Dr. King previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health. Dr. King is charged with furthering CTP’s efforts to improve the...
How Would FDA’s Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2022 Impact Your Business?
A bill before U.S. Congress proposes a new requirement that all dietary supplement products be electronically listed with Secretary of Health and Human Services. This move will enable the creation of a publicly available on-line registry in support of consumer decision making and to provide FDA...
The Importance of Testing Pet Food for Possible Contamination
The American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates that 68% percent of U.S. households own a pet, according to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey. That means roughly 85 million families in the U.S. have a pet in their household. Many households treat their pet as a member of the family...
Drug and Device Corner May 2022
The passing of the CARES Act in 2020, built on the authorization given to FDA in 2012 by the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), to address the problem of drug supply disruptions and shortages. The agency released a draft guidance to assist stakeholders in developing a...
Assume Nothing: What You Think You Know About the Cannabis Industry May Not Be True
An EAS and Food Safety News Complimentary Webinar. Presented by Kathy Knutson, Ph.D., EAS Independent Consultant. The food industry is built on a history of Good Manufacturing Practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) with its...
EAS Partner Laboratory Assist with Cosmetic Degradation Studies
EAS partner laboratory was mentioned in a recent article published in Beauty Independent on their partnership with a major brand to verify degradation of skincare ingredients. Micro Quality Labs, and all of the Certified Group, FSNS testing laboratories offer sound science in support of FDA, USDA...
FDA Proposes Rules Prohibiting Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars
As has long been anticipated, FDA, on April 28, 2022, announced a proposed rule that would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, and all characterizing flavors other than tobacco in cigars. Once finalized and implemented, FDA enforcement will address manufacturers,...