FDA Guidance On Shelf Life
FDA Guidance On Shelf Life
Good Guidance Practices, GGP's. It does not create or confer rights for or on any person
and does not operate to bind FDA or the public. An alternative approach may be used if
such approach satisfies the requirements of the applicable statute, regulations, or both.
This guidance will be up dated in the next revision to include the standard elemnt s of GGP 's .
Geoffrey S. Clark
Microbiologist
Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance
Office of Training and Assistance
Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Food and Drug Administration
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION
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..........
...................
.....................
....................
RECOMMENDATIONS
REGULATIONS
FDA POLICIES
....................
......................
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6
10
CDRHGUIDANCE
13
GLOSSARY
23
REFERENCES
NOTE :
24
INTRODUCTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
chemical,
physical,
microbiological,
therapeutic, and
toxicological.
2.2
2.3
3.
Microbiological
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Integrity:
3.5
4.
5.
6.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
RECOMMENDATIONS
3.
2.
2.
performed pursuant t o
820.40.
Conditions t o be considered
f o r control are l i g h t i n g , v e n t i l a t i o n , temperature,
humidity, a i r pressure, f i l t r a t i o n , airborne contamination,
and other contamination. Any environmental control system
shall be periodically inspected t o v e r i f y t h a t t h e system i s
properly functioning. Such inspections shall be documented.
3.
4.
FDA POLICIES
CDRH GUIDANCE
The following documents are issued by CDRH and contain guidance
on the methods to be used in determining a shelf life for various
medical devices. It is important to note that only the first
document is a true guidance document that has undergone the
process of announcement in the Federal Register and response to
comments received, while each of the others is a draft guidance
document.
1.
"A. S h e l f l i f e :
The m a n u f a c t u r e r must d e m o n s t r a t e the s t a b i l i t y o f t h e
parameters o f the f i n i s h e d l e n s o v e r t i m e a s packaged and
s t o r e d u n d e r the proposed s t o r a g e c o n d i t i o n s .
The a g i n g o f the lens i n i t s s t o r a g e c o n t a i n e r can be
e x t r a p o l a t e d t o the proposed s t o r a g e t e m p e r a t u r e . As a r u l e
o f thumb, e v e r y 10C i n c r e a s e for t h e t e s t e d t e m p e r a t u r e
above normal s t o r a g e t e m p e r a t u r e w i l l enhance the e x p i r a t i o n
S t e r i l i t y S t a b i l i t y (shelf l i f e )
The m a n u f a c t u r e r must d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t l e n s e s w i l l r e m a i n
s t e r i l e f o r t h e recommended s h e l f l i f e a s packaged. T h i s
a p p l i e s t o a l l h y d r o p h i l i c lenses a s w e l l a s h y d r o p h o b i c
lenses t h a t w i l l be l a b e l e d a s s t e r i l e . T h i s r e q u i r e m e n t
d o e s not a p p l y t o h y d r o p h o b i c lenses where the s t e r i l i z a t i o n
r e q u i r e m e n t h a s been w a i v e d .
T o f u l f i l l t h i s r e q u i r e m e n t , the m a n u f a c t u r e r s h o u l d t e s t
10-20 lenses t h a t h a v e been packaged and stored f o r the
proposed s h e l f l i f e . Samples from two or three l o t s o f
a p p r o x i m a t e l y the same a g e s h o u l d be t e s t e d f o r s t e r i l i t y
u s i n g methods s u c h a s USP X X I s t e r i l i t y t e s t i n g .
II.
I.
II.
Example of calculation:
3 month old lenses, stored entire 3 months at 40C.
1.
Age of lens
2.
3.
Ambient temperature
Q,,= 1.8
= 3
months
=
25OC
4.
5.
6.
2.
..
3.
4.
*
**
***
****
Microbiolocrical Reuuirements
Shelf life sterility stability must be demonstrated. Also
for a preserved solution, the shelf life stability of the
preservative must be demonstrated.
A.
or
I I . Accelerated preservative Effectiveness study,
B.
3.
."
I n v i e w o f the t e m p e r a t u r e f l u c t u a t i o n s t h a t can o c c u r
d u r i n g shipment o f the l e n s , the m a n u f a c t u r e r s h o u l d make
an e f f o r t t o p r o v i d e a method t o monitor the
e n v i r o n m e n t a l extremes i n c u r r e d d u r i n g t r a n s i t . A
d i s p o s a b l e , maximum-minimum t e m p e r a t u r e i n d i c a t o r ,
s e r v i n g a s a package i n s e r t , t o warn the surgeon o f
p o t e n t i a l temperature r e l a t e d a l t e r a t i o n s o f t h e lens,
s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d
."
4.
--
S t a b i l i t y s t u d i e s for a l l W D s a r e r e q u i r e d b y S e c t i o n s
809 - 1 0 ( a ) ( 5 ) and 8 0 9 . 1 0 ( b ) ( 5 ) ( i v )
These r e g u l a t i o n s require
t h a t s t o r a g e i n s t r u c t i o n s be s t a t e d on the immediate cont a i n e r l a b e l , k i t or o u t e r c o n t a i n e r l a b e l , and i n the
p r o d u c t i n s e r t for the p r o d u c t i n i t s i n i t i a l s t a t e and for
p r o d u c t s which a r e m i x e d or r e c o n s t i t u t e d p r i o r t o u s e .
Where a p p l i c a b l e , s t o r a g e instructions s h o u l d i n c l u d e
t e m p e r a t u r e , l i g h t and h u m i d i t y or other c o n d i t i o n s . T h e
i m m e d i a t e c o n t a i n e r l a b e l , and the k i t or o u t e r c o n t a i n e r
l a b e l , a r e required b y 8 0 9 . 1 0 ( a ) ( 6 ) t o s t a t e a means b y which
the u s e r i s a s s u r e d the N D meets a p p r o p r i a t e s t a n d a r d s o f
i d e n t i t y , s t r e n g t h , q u a l i t y , and p u r i t y a t t i m e o f u s e . T h i s
a s s u r a n c e can be a n e x p i r a t i o n d a t e , an o b s e r v a b l e i n d i c a t i o n
o f product a l t e r a t i o n , s u c h a s t u r b i d i t y , or i n s t r u c t i o n s for
a s i m p l e f u n c t i o n t e s t . The f o l l o w i n g a r e means o f complying
w i t h these r e g u l a t i o n s for e s t a b l i s h i n g s t a b i l i t y s t u d i e s and
expiration dating:
An e x p i r a t i o n d a t e i s the u s u a l method u s e d t o i n d i c a t e
s t a b i l i t y f o r N D s . The l a s t d a t e for t h e product t o be used
b y the customer i s d e f i n e d a s the e x p i r a t i o n d a t e .
The s t o r a g e i n s t r u c t i o n s and the e x p i r a t i o n d a t e a r e
determined a s p a r t o f p r o d u c t development for t h e proposed
c o n t a i n e r / c l o s u r e s y s t e m . The device package and s h i p p i n g
c o n t a i n e r a r e e v a l u a t e d a s p a r t o f t h i s development phase.
F o r example, d u r i n g p r o d u c t development an N D l a b e l e d f o r
s t o r a g e a t Z 0 t o 8 O C was found t o be s t a b l e f o r 24 months.
S t u d i e s were performed b y the m a n u f a c t u r e r which s u b j e c t e d
the N D t o a d v e r s e s h i p p i n g t e m p e r a t u r e s o f - 5 O C and 37OC f o r
one week each; however, the I V D was s t a b l e f o r o n l y 6 months
a t 2" t o 8 C a f t e r b e i n g s u b j e c t e d t o these a d v e r s e s h i p p i n g
C o n d i t i o n s . A s h i p p i n g c o n t a i n e r was t h e n d e s i g n e d t o
m a i n t a i n the IVD product a t 2" t o 8OC d u r i n g a d v e r s e
e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s t h a t m i g h t be e n c o u n t e r e d d u r i n g
s h i p p i n g t o s u p p o r t the 24 month e x p i r y p e r i o d . T h i s t y p e o f
d e s i g n e f f o r t s u p p o r t s the t y p e o f adequate package d e s i g n
r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 820 . l 3 0 .
S t o r a g e i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r W D s a r e r e q u i r e d b y 809.10(a) ( 5 ) t o
have r e l i a b l e , m e a n i n g f u l , and s p e c i f i c t e s t methods s u c h a s
t h o s e i n 2 1 CFR 211.166.
S e c t i o n 211.166 requires sample
s i z e s and t e s t i n t e r v a l s t o be based on s t a t i s t i c a l c r i t e r i a
f o r e a c h a t t r i b u t e examined t o a s s u r e v a l i d e s t i m a t e s o f
s t a b i l i t y and a l s o requires r e l i a b l e , m e a n i n g f u l and s p e c i f i c
t e s t methods. Performance and i d e n t i t y t e s t i n g on a l l N D
r e a g e n t s and s y s t e m s i s i n c l u d e d i n the s t a b i l i t y t e s t i n g
program. In a d d i t i o n , s t e r i l i t y t e s t i n g on s t e r i l e l a b e l e d
N D s , and m i c r o b i a l l i m i t s t e s t i n g on a l l m i c r o b i o l o g i C a l l y
c o n t r o l l e d N D s , i s i n c l u d e d i n the s t a b i l i t y t e s t i n g
program. The finished N D product i s h e l d u n d e r a p p r o p r i a t e
c o n d i t i o n s t o s u p p o r t the e x p i r y p e r i o d and s t o r a g e
i n s t r u c t i o n s d e t e r m i n e d d u r i n g the development phase. These
a r e n o r m a l l y t a k e n f r o m the f i r s t three p r o d u c t i o n b a t c h e s .
A c c e l e r a t e d s t u d i e s ( i . e . , a t h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e and h u m i d i t y )
a r e a c c e p t a b l e f o r some p r o d u c t s t o s u p p o r t t e n t a t i v e d a t e s
and s t o r a g e c o n d i t i o n s , a s l o n g a s t h e y a r e f o l l o w e d and
s u p p o r t e d b y r e a l t i m e s t u d i e s . A c c e l e r a t e d s t u d i e s may n o t
be a p p r o p r i a t e f o r some p r o d u c t s b e c a u s e o f t h e i r c o m p l e x i t y ,
b e c a u s e there i s no a d e q u a t e methodology t o c o n d u c t a c c e l e r a t e d s t u d i e s , or b e c a u s e t h e y a r e new p r o d u c t s and there i s
i n s u f f i c i e n t h i s t o r i c a l data available.
Each N D i s e v a l u a t e d f o r a d d i t i o n a l s t a b i l i t y s t u d i e s i f
there i s a n y s i g n i f i c a n t change which may a f f e c t s t a b i l i t y i n
the m a n u f a c t u r i n g p r o c e s s o r equipment, the components
i n c l u d i n g the c o n t a i n e r / c l o s u r e s y s t e m , or s h i p p i n g
container. "
6.
510 (k)
ASTM
CDRH
CFR
DCD
DCLD
DCP
DOD
DOED
DSMA
FDA
GMP
IDE
OCS
ODE
PMA
USP
Premarket Notification
American Society for Testing and Materials
Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Code of Federal Regulations
Division of Cardiovascular Devices
Division of Clinical Laboratory Devices
Division of Compliance Programs
Division of Ophthalmic Devices
Division of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ear, Nose, Throat, and
Dental Devices
Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance
Food and Drug Administration
Good Manufacturing Practices
Investigational Device Exemption
Office of Compliance and Surveillance
Office of Device Evaluation
Premarket Approval
United States Pharmacopoeia
REFERENCES