FDA 483 OBSERVATION · #225 OF 1,923 MOST-CITED

Valid stability test methods

FDA cited this observation 132 times across 125 firms in recent inspections. Below: how it breaks down by program area and fiscal year, and real examples of how FDA worded it on Form FDA 483.

What this grouping is not

An observation-type page groups FDA’s published citation records. The grouping, the compliance steps and the root causes are SPEQ synthesis, not an FDA classification of any citation, and a count measures what FDA published rather than risk.

BY PROGRAM AREA
Drugs132
BY FISCAL YEAR
FY20268
FY202525
FY202410
FY20238
FY202210
FY20214
FY20205
FY201920
FY201811
FY201711
FY201620

What this observation is associated with

Firms cited for this observation also appear in FDA compliance actions — warning letters, injunctions, or seizures — at 5.2× the rate of the average FDA-cited firm (40.0% vs 7.8%), across 125 FEI-matched firms.

This is an association, not causation, and reflects co-occurrence in FDA's records — not a claim that the observation caused or preceded the action.

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How FDA worded it — real examples

The written stability program for drug products does not include specific test methods.

AptaPharma Inc. · Pennsauken, New Jersey · Drugs · 2026-08-14

The written stability program for drug products does not include reliable, meaningful and specific test methods.

Happy Farm Botanicals, Inc. · Hyattsville, Maryland · Drugs · 2026-04-02

The written stability program for drug products does not include specific test methods.

Birchwood Laboratories, LLC · Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Drugs · 2026-02-13

The written stability program for drug products does not include specific test methods.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Pomona, California · Drugs · 2026-02-13

The written stability program for drug products does not include reliable, meaningful and specific test methods.

Woodbine Products Company Inc. · Medina, Ohio · Drugs · 2026-02-13

The written stability program for drug products does not include reliable, meaningful and specific test methods.

Tropical Seas, Inc. · Holly Hill, Florida · Drugs · 2026-02-12

Related SPEQ references

Where to read the requirements behind this observation area on SPEQ. These are SPEQ's topic and audience pages — not an FDA classification of the citation.

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Examples are a representative sample of FDA's published inspection observations. Open the 483 observation explorer →