PDA Technical Glossary
PDA Technical Reports are highly valued membership benefits because they offer expert guidance and opinions on important scientific and regulatory topics and are used as essential references by industry and regulatory authorities around the world. These reports include terms which explain the material and enhance the reader’s understanding.
The database presented here includes the glossary terms from all current technical reports. The database is searchable by keyword, topic, or by technical report. Each definition provided includes a link to the source technical report within the PDA Technical Report Portal.
(Please select "All" to restart a filtered Search)
Refine Results
Filter By Technical Report Number
- TR 70: Cleaning/Disinfection Programs (4)
- TR 60: Process Validation (3)
- TR 62: Manual Aseptic Processes (3)
- TR 22: Aseptic Process Simulation (2)
- TR 28: Process Simulation for Bulk API (2)
- TR 48: Moist Heat Sterilizer Systems (1)
- TR 69: Bioburden/Biofilm Management (1)
- TR 73: Prefilled Syringe User Requirements for Biotech Applications (1)
- TR 1: Validation: Moist Heat (1)
- TR 13: Environmental Monitoring (1)
- TR 15: Validation: TFF in Biopharmaceuticals (1)
- TR 84: Integrating Data Integrity Requirements into Manufacturing & Packaging Operations (1)
- TR 76: Identification and Classification of Visible Nonconformities in Elastomeric Components and Aluminum Seals for Parenteral Packaging (1)
Filter By Technical Report Keyword
Filter By Technical Report Category
Air Removal Test
A test used to evaluate air removal and steam penetration in an empty sterilizer that is used for porous/hard goods load sterilization (e.g., Bowie-Dick Test, DART, Lantor Cube, Browns’ Test). (TR01) (TR 48)
Source:
Airlock
A room that controls the airflow between two rooms of different classification. (TR 70)
Source:
Anisotropic (Asymmetric) Membrane
A membrane in which the pore size and structure differ from one face to the other. These membranes are usually considered “directional” because of the difference in flow characteristics, depending on which surface of the membrane faces the feed stream. (TR15)
Source:
Antimicrobial Chemical Agent
Substance used to destroy or suppress the growth of microorganisms, whether bacteria, fungi, or viruses, on inanimate objects and surfaces. (TR70)
Source:
Area Disinfection
Disinfection of floors, walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. (TR70)
Source:
Aseptic Processing
Handling sterile materials in a controlled environment, in which the air supply, facility, materials, equipment and personnel are regulated to control microbial and particulate contamination to acceptable levels. (TR28) (TR62) (TR69) Handling of sterile product, containers, and/ or devices in a controlled environment in which the air supply, materials, equipment, and personnel are regulated to maintain (product) sterility. (TR13)
Source:
Aseptic Processing Area (APA)
Controlled environment, consisting of several zones, in which the air supply, facility, materials, equipment and personnel are regulated to control microbial and particulate contamination to acceptable levels. (TR22) (TR28) (TR62) (TR70)
Source:
Aseptic Processing Simulation (APS)
A means for establishing the capability of an aseptic process as performed using a growth medium. (TR22) (TR62)
Source:
Attribute
A physical, chemical, or microbiological property or characteristic of an input or output material. (TR60)
Source:
Attributes (Process Performance Attribute)
An output variable or outcome that cannot be directly controlled, but is an indicator that the process performed as expected.(Synonym - Process Performance Parameter) (TR60)
Source:
Attributes (Quality Attribute)
A molecular or product characteristic that is selected for its ability to indicate the quality of the product. Collectively, the quality attributes define identity, purity, potency and stability of the product, and safety with respect to adventitious agents. Specifications measure a selected subset of the quality attributes. (TR60)
Source:
Container Closure Integrity (CCI)
The ability of a package to prevent product loss, to block microorganism ingress, and to limit entry of detrimental gases or other substances, thus ensuring that the product meets all necessary safety and quality standards.(TR76)
Source:
Critical Process (CP)
A process that impacts a critical quality attribute of the intermediate, drug substance or drug product being manufactured and therefore should have established critical process parameters that can be monitored or controlled to ensure that the process produces the desired quality.
Source:
Formative Usability Evaluation
Observed actual or simulated use of early prototypes to help reliably identify product conceptspecific, use-related hazards that may have been missed by other methods. (TR73)