Elemental Impurities
Justification for Control of Elemental Impurities in Formulation
Introduction Definition: Elemental impurities are trace levels of metals that can be introduced into drug products from raw materials, manufacturing processes, or container closure systems. Regulatory requirement: ICH Q3D and relevant pharmacopeial guidelines (USP <232>, <233>) specify acceptable limits for elemental impurities to ensure patient safety. Identification of Potential Sources ... Read More
Trend Analysis for Elemental Impurities
Trend analysis for elemental impurities is not explicitly required by guidelines like ICH Q3D . However, certain aspects of stability trends and variability need to be considered to ensure compliance and accurate reporting. Stability Trends for Elemental Impurities In most cases, if no such risk is identified, monitoring for trends ... Read More
Classification of Elemental Impurities
The elemental impurity classes are: Class 1: The elements, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, are human toxicants that have limited or no use in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Their presence in drug products typically comes from commonly used materials (e.g., mined excipients). Because of their unique nature, these four elements ... Read More
Potential Sources of Elemental Impurities
In considering the production of a drug product, there are broad categories of potential sources of elemental impurities. The following diagram shows an example of typical materials, equipment and components used in the production of a drug product. Each of these sources may contribute elemental impurities to the drug product, ... Read More