PDA Letter Article
Home / PDA Letter / Full Article

Volunteers Needed: Event Reporters

by Walt Morris, PDA

Times are hard for everyone across the globe, with the pandemic disrupting lives, businesses, education, and medical systems. Those in the PDA community are busier than ever to meet the challenges, while many adjust to work-from-home or disrupted on-site work arrangements. PDA is no different. We are working very hard to move our industry-leading events from on-site to virtual, while at the same time managing a sudden and significant decline in revenue. But the mission of Connecting People, Science and Regulation® has never been more critical.

Throughout the pandemic, our members have continued submitting articles! The article pipeline, however, is slowing. Combine this with the departure of Managing Editor Rebecca Stauffer, we will experience significant gaps in our coverage of PDA’s online events.

PDA is looking to our members to fill that gap. Just a few weeks ago, the virtual PDA Annual Meeting concluded. If you attended that terrific online event (sessions are still available to view), you can share your experience with the entire PDA community with a short (500-1000 words) report on sessions you attended.

Those attending the upcoming virtual PDA/FDA Joint Regulatory Conference can help by sending short reports to the PDA Letter. Of course, following that signature event, PDA will host (online) the Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Prefilled Syringes events. Volunteer reporters for all these meetings are needed.

Putting on your best Clark Kent face is not the only way to contribute to the Letter. Each month, we publish two feature-length articles (1500-2000 words) on strategic PDA topics:

  • Aseptic Processing/Sterile Products Manufacture
  • Biopharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
  • Manufacturing Science
  • Quality & Regulatory
  • Supply Chain & Outsourcing

Also, we publish shorter articles (500-1000 words) on new technologies, methods and hot regulatory trends (warning letter evaluations, GMP advice, new guidances, etc.).

Just a word on important distinctions between the PDA Letter and the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (JPST). Any manuscript that is data- and reference-heavy and/or is more than 2000 words belongs in the JPST. In 2019, a new, thorough submission guide was posted on the JPST website (https://journal.pda.org/content/author-resourcessubmit-paper). All authors to JPST are required to read these guidelines in advance and follow them, because JPST is not a full-service magazine. Authors to JPST are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are edited and follow the norms of U.S. English grammar and syntax. Resources for editing services are noted in the author guide. In addition, all submissions to JPST will undergo peer review.

Letter articles should be shorter (under 2000 words) and should never present new scientific data. There is no peer-review in the Letter process, and the Letter will not allow publication of unverified (peer-reviewed) data. In addition, Letter articles should have short, quick “ledes” and avoid lengthy introductions and background information.

I look forward to an influx of member articles in the second half of 2020. I wish everyone the best as we all work together to get through these trying times.