Every year the number of clinical trials conducted across the globe rises in a concerted effort to develop new or improved medicinal products that ultimately improve lives. The pharmaceutical industry has developed standards and best practices in almost every aspect of a trial. There is, however, one area that lacks foundational best practices: that of medicinal product accountability, reconciliation, and return for destruction, otherwise known as reverse logistics.

ICH Q10 sets a clear expectation regarding the role of strong leadership in terms of demonstrating and communicating “strong and visible support for the pharmaceutical quality system.” The ISPE APQ Guide: Management Responsibilities and Management Review provides a quality management framework for assessing and advancing leadership systems. It provides a systematic and proactive approach to evaluating management responsibilities highlighted in ICH Q10 as well as other key leadership components:

ICH Q10 outlines three objectives: achieve product realization, establish and maintain a state of control, and facilitate continual improvement. Embracing these objectives can be best achieved using the dual enablers, Knowledge Management (KM) and Quality Risk Management (QRM).