Regulatory Blog

In February 2026, Swissmedic published updated guidance documents covering key regulatory and post-authorisation requirements for human medicinal products. These updates provide clarity on administrative changes, pharmacovigilance obligations, formal submission requirements, packaging standards, document protection, parallel import procedures, co-marketing authorisations, lifecycle management, and variations. Guidance: Change of Name or Domicile of the Authorisation Holder Th

The Guide for National Scientific and Regulatory Advice  issued by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) outlines the framework for obtaining national scientific and regulatory advice to support the development of new or existing human medicinal products. The objective of this advice is to guide applicants in their development programmes; however, it does not replace or substitute the applicant’s legal and regulatory responsibilities in the development of their medi

Developing innovative medicines requires early, structured engagement with regulators. The UK’s Integrated Scientific Advice (ISA)  service provides coordinated, multidisciplinary guidance to help applicants generate robust evidence and navigate regulatory requirements efficiently. What is Integrated Scientific Advice (ISA)? Integrated Scientific Advice (ISA)  is a coordinated regulatory advice service that brings together expertise from across the UK regulatory landscape. I

The integration of modeling and simulation into drug development has evolved from a supportive analytical tool to a central pillar of regulatory decision-making. Recognising this shift, the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use has formally adopted ICH M15: Guideline on General Principles for Model-Informed Drug Development (MIDD)  at Step 5 . The guideline was: Endorsed under Step 2 on 6 November 2024 Adopted by r

As innovation in healthcare rapidly expands across digital health, medical devices, and advanced clinical trial designs, regulatory expectations must evolve in parallel. Recognising this shift, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released and updated several key guidance documents in January 2026 , offering clarity on how emerging technologies and novel scientific approaches should be developed, evaluated, and regulated. These guidances collectively address clinical dec

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the availability of a draft guidance for industry titled " M4Q(R2) The Common Technical Document for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use: Quality. " Prepared under the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH), this draft establishes a globally harmonized framework for organizing and presenting quality data in registration applications for human medicines. It updates the CTD's quality section to enhance registr

In the ever-evolving world of pharmaceutical and medical product regulation, correctly classifying your product is crucial. Some products fall into a “grey area” where they could be regulated as a medicinal product, a medical device, or another type of product such as a cosmetic, food supplement, or biocide. To help manufacturers and other stakeholders make this determination, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) publishes detailed guidance on h

In the United Kingdom, the regulatory landscape operates under a well-defined set of guidance documents established and maintained by the UK Government and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). These documents help sponsors, regulatory affairs teams, and clinical operations professionals comply with UK law while ensuring patient safety and data integrity. In 2026, several key guidances outline the authorisation process, trial notifications, reporting

The 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026  was launched by the Union Health Minister in the first week of January 2026 with 121 new monographs, Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 ha now 3,340 monographs. The Indian Pharmacopoeia is now recognized in 19 countries. Guidance Document on Compounding of Offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics (Compounding of Offences) Rules, 2025   This guidance has been issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to support r

The Operational Information Sharing Guidance   published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) provides structured instructions for Marketing Authorisation (MA) applicants on how to consent to the sharing of operational information during the MA application process. This guidance supports improved planning across the UK health system to enable faster and more efficient patient access to newly authorised medicines. This applies to applications submi

Safety reporting is one of the most critical safeguards in clinical trials involving investigational drugs and medical devices. To ensure that safety information is collected, evaluated, and communicated effectively, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued two complementary guidance documents: Investigator Responsibilities — Safety Reporting for Investigational Drugs and Devices   (December 2025), and Sponsor Responsibilities — Safety Reporting Requirements and

Clinical trials are the foundation for understanding whether a medical product is safe and effective. However, for many years, clinical trial populations have not fully reflected the patients who ultimately use these products in real-world settings. To address this gap, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued two complementary guidance documents: Enhancing Participation in Clinical Trials — Eligibility Criteria, Enrollment Practices, and Trial Designs  (Decembe

Medicine shortages can have a direct and serious impact on patient care, healthcare systems, and public health across Europe. To strengthen coordination, improve visibility, and enable early action, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has established the European Shortages Monitoring Platform (ESMP) . The ESMP is a central digital platform designed to support the prevention, identification, monitoring, and management of shortages of medicinal products across the EU and EEA.

As biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars become an integral part of modern biologic therapy, promotional communications around these products require heightened regulatory care. To address recurring industry questions and reduce the risk of misleading claims, the FDA has issued the guidance Promotional Labeling and Advertising Considerations for Prescription Biological Reference Products, Biosimilar Products, and Interchangeable Biosimilar Products . Published in 12 Dec

Modern medicines development increasingly sits at the intersection of advanced chemistry and genomic science. On one hand, synthetic peptides represent a fast-growing therapeutic class that bridges small molecules and biologics. On the other, pharmacogenomics is reshaping how medicines are developed, evaluated, and ultimately used in patients. Recognising these parallel advances, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently published two key scientific documents: the Guid

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) serves as the foundational ethical and scientific standard that governs how clinical trials involving human participants are designed, conducted, recorded, and reported. In the United Kingdom, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) enforces these standards to protect participant safety and the integrity of clinical data. The official guidance on Good clinical practice for clinical trials  explains how sponsors, investigator

As FDA continues to modernize and digitize its medical device review infrastructure, the updated guidance eCopy Program for Medical Device Submissions  plays a central role in transitioning industry toward fully electronic submissions. The December 2025 revision, reflected in the attached document, expands the technical requirements, clarifies the interaction between the eCopy and eSTAR programs, and incorporates contemporary digital standards needed to support efficient, err

The FDA has released two important guidances addressing very different but equally critical domains of drug development: the " nonclinical safety evaluation of monospecific monoclonal antibodies " and the appropriate inclusion of " QTc Information in Human Prescription Drug and Biological Product Labeling " . While one guidance focuses on modernising preclinical toxicology expectations for biologics, the other ensures that cardiac electrophysiology risks are clearly and consi

Regulatory teams responsible for lifecycle management know that post-authorisation changes can quickly become complex, especially as products mature, manufacturing processes evolve, and emerging scientific data require frequent updates to quality and clinical documentation. To support consistent interpretation of EU Variation Regulation (EC) No 1234/2008, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) maintains an extensive Q&A document titled " Classification of Changes " —a practical

As regulatory systems evolve globally, Switzerland continues to harmonize and strengthen its medicinal product oversight through guidance that combines scientific rigor with procedural clarity. Two recent Swissmedic documents— the guidance on the Procedure with Prior Notification (PPN)   and the technical interpretation on environmental conditions for microbiological examination of non-sterile products — together illustrate how Swiss authorities aim to improve both regulato