
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 57: Analytical Method Validation (7)
- TR 73: Prefilled Syringe User Requirements for Biotech Applications (7)
- TR 57-2: Analytical Method Development (4)
- TR 77: The Manufacture of Sterile Pharmaceutical Products Using Blow-Fill-Seal Technology (3)
- TR 54-4: QRM: Biotech Drug Substance (2)
- TR 62: Manual Aseptic Processes (2)
- TR 66: Single-Use Systems (2)
- TR 14: Validation: Protein Purification Chromatography (2)
- TR 15: Validation: TFF in Biopharmaceuticals (2)
- TR 26: Sterilizing Filtration of Liquids (2)
- TR 49: Validation: Cleaning Biotech (1)
- TR 54: QRM:Manufacturing Operations (1)
- TR 63: Clinical Trials Material Preparation (1)
- TR 68: Drug Shortage Management (1)
- TR 70: Cleaning/Disinfection Programs (1)
- TR 22: Aseptic Process Simulation (1)
- TR 84: Integrating Data Integrity Requirements into Manufacturing & Packaging Operations (1)
- TR 80: Data Integrity Management System for Pharmaceutical Laboratories (1)
- TR 29: Validation: Cleaning (1)
- TR 41: Virus Filtration (1)
- TR 45: Depth Filtration (1)
Filter By Technical Report Keyword
Filter By Technical Report Category
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
A general statistical approach to data analysis (i.e., comparison of means) in which the variation in a method’s results is partitioned among explanatory factors in order to systematically assess factor influence and/or variance components. (TR57)
Source:
Analyte
Substance (usually a residue) for which an analysis is being performed. (TR29) (TR49) (TR70) A specific chemical moiety being measured, which can be intact drug, biomolecule or its derivative, impurity, and/or excipients in a drug product. [Synonym: measurand] (TR57)
Source:
Analytical Control
Material used to monitor the performance of a method to assess the integrity and validity of the results. (TR57-2)
Source:
Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ)
The qualification of the analytical instrument(s) used as part of the analytical procedure. (TR57)
Source:
Analytical Method Comparability (AMC)
Equivalence study that measure the same property of two methods and that shows that replacing one of these methods with the other would not adversely affect the test’s use or results. (TR57-2)
Source:
Analytical Method Design
Collection of activities performed to define the intended purpose of the method, select the appropriate technology to implement the method, and identify the critical method variables that need to be controlled to ensure that the method is robust and rugged. (TR57-2)
Source:
Analytical Method Development (AMD)
Collection of activities performed to select an appropriate technique and method conditions to meet the Analytical Target Profile (ATP) requirements. (TR57-2)
Source:
Analytical Method Transfer (AMT)
Documented process that qualifies a laboratory (receiving unit) to use an analytical test procedure that originates in another laboratory (the transferring unit, also known as the sending unit), thus ensuring that the receiving unit has the knowledge and ability to perform the transferred analytical procedure as intended. (TR57-2)
Source:
Analytical Platform Technology (APT)
An analytical method that is used for multiple products and/or types of sample matrix without modification of the procedure. Similar to compendial methods, an APT method may not require full validation for each new product or sample type. (TR57)
Source:
Analytical Procedure
That which is performed in order to obtain a reportable result. The procedure should describe in detail the steps necessary to perform the analytical test. This may include but is not limited to: the sample, the reference standard and the reagents preparations, use of the apparatus, generations of the calibration curve, use of the formulae for the calculation [Synonym: Method, Assay] (TR57)
Source:
Component, Primary
Element of the assembled prefilled syringe (needle, plunger stopper and tip closure, or adhesive) directly in contact with the drug. (TR 73)
Source:
Component, Secondary
Element of the assembled prefilled syringe (plunger rod, backstop, or safety system) that interacts with the primary components and provides functionality to the delivery system. (TR 73)
Source:
Composite Membrane
A membrane consisting of multiple layers. (TR15)
Source:
Compounding
A process in which a bulk drug substance is combined with one or more excipients and/or another bulk drug substance to produce a drug product. (TR22) A process wherein bulk drug substance is combined with one or more excipients and/or another bulk drug substance to produce a drug product. (TR62) The preparation, mixing, assembling, altering, packaging, and labeling of a drug, drug-delivery device, or device in accordance with a licensed practitioner’s prescription, medication order, or initiative based on the practitioner/patient/pharmacist/compounder relationship in the course of professional practice. Compounding includes the following: • Preparation of drug dosage forms for both human and animal patients • Preparation of drugs or devices in anticipation of prescription drug orders based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns • Reconstitution or manipulation of commercial products that may require the addition of one or more ingredients • Preparation of drugs or devices for the purposes of, or as an incident to, research (clinical or academic), teaching, or chemical analysis • Preparation of drugs and devices for prescriber’s office use where permitted by federal and state law. (TR63)
Source:
Contextual Inquiry
Ethnographic research method used to observe and analyze behaviors in actual end-use contexts (actual environments and use scenarios). (TR73)
Source:
Correlation Coefficient ( r )
A measure of covariation, the square root of the coefficient of determination. (TR57)
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:
Criticality
A classification of an item (e.g., process, equipment, parameter) that expresses the significance given to the impact of that item, and should therefore be controlled or monitored to ensure product quality, safety or efficacy. (TR54) A classification of an item (e.g., product, process, equipment, parameter) that expresses the significance given to the impact of that item, and should therefore be controlled or monitored to ensure product quality, safety or efficacy. (TR68)
Source:
Elastomer
Thermoplastic material formulation (that may or may not contain rubber/natural latex) derived from elastic polymer; often used interchangeably with the term “rubber.” (TR73)
Source:
Extractable
A chemical component that is removed from a material by application of an artificial or exaggerated force (e.g., solvent, temperature, time). The term extractable is often erroneously used to describe a leachable. (TR14) (TR15) (TR26) (TR41) (TR45) Chemical substances that can be extracted from components of material process fluid contact surfaces by exertion of an exaggerated force (e.g., organic solvent, extreme elevated temperature, ionic strength, pH, contact time, etc.) Extractables may represent most but not all of the potential leachables that may be seen in process fluids. (TR66) Extractables are organic and inorganic chemical entities that can be released from a pharmaceutical packaging/delivery system, packaging component, or packaging material of construction under laboratory conditions. (TR54-4) Organic or inorganic chemical entity that is forced out of container closure system materials and components under laboratory experimental conditions. (TR73)
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)
Source:
Human Factors
A science discipline that examines human psychological, social, physical, and biological characteristics to evaluate the design, operation, or use of products or systems for optimizing human performance, health, safety, and/or habitability. [Synonym: Ergonomics] (TR62)(TR80)
Source:
Leachable
A chemical component that migrates from a contact surface into a drug product or process fluid during storage or normal use conditions. The term leachable is often erroneously used to describe an extractable. (TR14) (TR26) Leachables are organic and inorganic chemical entities that migrate from a packaging/delivery system, packaging component, or packaging material of construction into an associated drug product under normal conditions of storage and use or during accelerated drug product stability studies. Leachables are typically a subset of extractables or are derived from extractables. (TR54-4) Chemical substances that are leached, from product-contact or non-product-contact materials, under typical process conditions and detected in final dosage. Leachables may be a subset of extractables, and can include their reaction or breakdown products. (TR66) Organic or inorganic chemical entity that migrates from pharmaceutical container closure system components into a drug product formulation. (TR73)
Source:
Mandrel
Specialized filling needles on certain BFS machines which also act to form the container. (TR77)
Source:
Parison
The “tube” of polymer extruded by the BFS machine from which the containers are formed. (TR77)
Source:
Zone of Protection/Machine Shroud
A system fitted to a BFS machine to direct a flow of HEPA-filtered air over the Critical Processing Zone of the machine. (TR77)