Geneva, 20 September 2019:
A draft revision of the PIC/S GMP Guide Annex 2 (Manufacture of biological medicinal substances and products for human use) has been prepared by the PIC/S Working Group on revision of Annex 2 established with WHO, led by Francesco Cicirello (Australia / TGA) and by the PIC/S Sub-Committee on GMDP Harmonisation, led by Paul Gustafson (Canada / ROEB).
This revision is subject to a focused stakeholder consultation which includes both consultation questions and an opportunity to comment on:
Draft Annex 2A takes into account the international development in the regulation of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) with particular attention to the European Commission guideline on GMP for ATMP which has been published since the latest revision of the EU Annex 2, while addressing at the same time concerns of PIC/S Participating Authorities with regard to patient safety and proportionate regulation for ATMPs. Draft Annex 2B is the revised version of EU Annex 2 for biologics (excluding ATMPs).
This consultation will also allow PIC/S to collect feedback from stakeholders to help PIC/S develop its thinking in this area. PIC/S recognises that this is a rapidly developing industry and the revision being developed represents an intention of PIC/S to consider:
- issues that stakeholders including (academia, hospitals, subject matter experts or the pharmaceutical industry SMEs)
are facing in the international context; and
- how harmonised international GMP standards can help to facilitate manufacturing of these products, especially in
consideration of the increasing manufacturing that occur cross-border.
The consultation period will last 3 months and run from 20 September 2019 to 20 December 2019.
To submit feedback, please provide feedback exclusively on the dedicated Consultation Notice (PS/INF 24/2019) and submit in Word format (not PDF) by e-mail with subject line "PIC/S Focused Public Consultation - Revision Annex 2" to one of the following associations which will collect and compile responses. Stakeholders should only reply once.
To download the Consultation Notice (PS/INF 24/2019) and the Draft Annexes 2A and 2B (PS/INF 25/2019 (Rev. 1) and PS/INF 26/2019 (Rev. 1)) please consult the page “Publications” or click on the links below:
PS INF 24 2019 Consultation Notice Revision Annex 2
Geneva, 30 July 2026
PIC/S has published the revised PIC/S Recommendations on Qualification and Validation (PI 006-4).
These Recommendations have been revised by a dedicated PIC/S Working Group, successively chaired by Norman Gray (UK / MHRA) and subsequently jointly chaired by Kevin O’Donnell (Ireland / HPRA) and Rebecca Dowd (USA / US FDA). They supersede the PIC/S Recommendations on Validation Master Plan; Installation and Operational Qualification; Non-Sterile Process Validation; and Cleaning Validation (PI 006-3).
PI 006-4 will enter into force on 1 October 2026.
To download the revised Recommendations document, please consult the page “Publications”.
Geneva, 28 July 2026:
Registrations for the 2026 PIC/S Seminar on “Digital Transformation in GMP” which will be hosted by Türkiye / TMMDA from 4-6 November 2026 are now open (for Medicines Regulatory Authorities only). Deadline for registrations is 31 August 2026 (early-bird) and 23 October 2026 (standard).
For more information, please contact the PIC/S Secretariat.
Geneva, 28 July 2026:
On 15 July 2026, a Rapporteur was appointed by written procedure for the pre-accession application of Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), for which a pre-accession application was received on 5 March 2026.
In line with the revised PIC/S Guidelines for the Pre-Accession Procedure, the designation of the Rapporteur marks the start of the pre-accession process.
Geneva, 28 July 2026:
On 17 December 2025, the State Entity “Center of Good Practices” of the Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the State Institution “Center for Pharmaceutical Products Safety” under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, submitted a joint membership application to PIC/S.
The application received was completed on 15 January 2026, further to which the Rapporteurs and Audit Team are in the process of being appointed by written procedure.
Geneva, 16 July 2026:
The joint EMA - PIC/S drafting group has developed a concept paper on the revision of the Annex 15 (Qualification and validation) of the EU - PIC/S GMP Guide.
This concept paper aims to outline the rationale, objectives, and proposed changes for updating the Annex 15 - Qualification and validation, of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Guide, that is common to the Member States of the European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA), as well as to the Participating Authorities (PAs) of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S). The aim of the revision is to extend the scope of the annex to active substances manufacturers and to consider the revision of ICH Guideline Q9 (R1) on quality risk management.
This concept paper was submitted to a joint EMA - PIC/S public consultation and comments have been collected until 9 April 2026. Following the public consultation, the initial timetable has been revised, and only this section has been updated accordingly.
The revised Concept Paper can be downloaded on the PIC/S website (link), as well as on the EMA website (link).