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.
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- TR 54-4: QRM: Biotech Drug Substance (1)
- TR 57: Analytical Method Validation (1)
- TR 60: Process Validation (1)
- TR 67: Objectionable Microorganisms (1)
- TR 69: Bioburden/Biofilm Management (1)
- TR 13: Environmental Monitoring (1)
- TR 22: Aseptic Process Simulation (1)
- TR 84: Integrating Data Integrity Requirements into Manufacturing & Packaging Operations (1)
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Alert Level
An established microbial or nonviable particle level giving early warning of potential drift from normal operating conditions; not necessarily grounds for definitive corrective action but typically requires follow-up investigation. (TR13) (TR22) (TR69)
An established level that, when exceeded, is giving an early warning of a potential drift from normal operating conditions; while not necessarily grounds for definitive corrective action, it typically requires follow-up review. (TR 60)
An established microbial or nonviable particle level giving early warning of potential drift from normal operating conditions; not necessarily grounds for definitive corrective action, but typically requires follow-up investigation (3, 4, 7). (TR88)
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Excipient
A component of a drug formulation that has no active pharmacologic function. Excipients are commonly used in drug formulations as modulators of pH or osmolality for parenteral administration and as stabilizers for APIs. (TR54-4)
An ingredient added intentionally to the drug substance that should not have pharmacological properties in the quantity used. (TR57)
Inactive pharmaceutical ingredients in a product formulation that are responsible for the product’s manufacturability and physicochemical attributes. (TR67) (TR88)
Source:
Quality Unit
An independent quality unit/structure with authority to fulfill certain pharmaceutical quality system responsibilities (7). (TR84)
An organizational element within a pharmaceutical company with the authority and responsibility for quality as defined by 21 CFR 211.22 (11). The quality control unit typically comprises the quality control and quality assurance functions. (TR88)