The Self-inspections (Internal Audits) Process as a Part of the Pharmaceutical Quality System: Formation of a Risk-Based Approach to Internal Audits Planning

The quality system of any modern pharmaceutical company is the pharmaceutical quality system (PQS), which extends the GMP standards to all stages of the medicinal productslife cycle, from pharmaceutical development to its withdrawal from production. The principal difference between PQS and GxP rules from other quality systems is that the medicinal product, its safety and efficacy is put at the forefront. At the same time, PQS implies a process approach to all components that should be aimed at achieving the main goal—ensuring and guaranteeing the quality of the medicinal product for the end user (patient)—and should be based on the quality risk management system. An integral part of PQS, as well as the GxP rules adopted in the European Union and PIC/S, is a process for self-inspections and/or quality audits, which regularly appraises the effectiveness and applicability of the PQS. This publication is dedicated to the definition of self-inspections (internal audits) as one of the PQS's processes. The article defines the main standard stages and develops a model of a risk-based approach to the self-inspections' planning in relation to processes of the pharmaceutical quality system.