FDA 483 OBSERVATION · #143 OF 1,000 MOST-CITED
Following/documenting laboratory controls
FDA cited this observation 163 times across 155 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 observation is associated with
Firms cited for this observation also appear in FDA compliance actions — warning letters, injunctions, or seizures — at 3.9× the rate of the average FDA-cited firm (32.3% vs 8.3%), across 155 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.
How FDA worded it — real examples
Established laboratory control mechanisms are not followed.
Established test procedures are not documented at the time of performance.
Established specifications, standards, sampling plans, test procedures and laboratory control mechanisms are not followed and documented at the time of performance.
Established sampling plans are not followed.
Established laboratory control mechanisms are not followed.
Established test procedures and laboratory control mechanisms are not followed.
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.
Examples are a representative sample of FDA's published inspection observations. SPEQ is not affiliated with the FDA; this is a reference view of public FDA data.
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