FDA INSPECTION INTELLIGENCE

FDA 483 Observation Explorer

What does FDA actually write up? These are the real observation types cited on Form FDA 483 across the GxP program areas — drugs, devices, food, biologics and veterinary — grouped by type, with counts by program area and fiscal year. Every line is FDA's own citation text.

124,674 citations · 1,000 observation types

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Develop FSVP#1
4,837 citations · 3,557 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Lack of or inadequate procedures#2
2,365 citations · 1,995 firms · Devices
Lack of or inadequate complaint procedures#3
1,770 citations · 1,590 firms · Devices
Sanitation monitoring#4
1,627 citations · 1,344 firms · Foods
Personnel#5
1,623 citations · 1,430 firms · Devices, Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Pest control#6
1,498 citations · 1,311 firms · Foods
Procedures not in writing, fully followed#7
1,456 citations · 1,230 firms · Drugs
Sanitary operations - Plant maintenance#8
1,443 citations · 1,266 firms · Foods
Manufacturing, processing, packing, holding - Controls#9
1,362 citations · 1,219 firms · Foods
HACCP plan implementation#10
1,134 citations · 907 firms · Foods
Equipment and utensils - Design and maintenance#11
1,100 citations · 1,004 firms · Foods
FD-1572, protocol compliance#12
1,001 citations · 956 firms · Bioresearch Monitoring
Investigations of discrepancies, failures#13
939 citations · 788 firms · Drugs
Purchasing controls, Lack of or inadequate procedures#14
931 citations · 816 firms · Devices
Plant construction and design#15
924 citations · 844 firms · Foods
Documentation#16
898 citations · 793 firms · Biologics, Devices
Scientifically sound laboratory controls#17
857 citations · 735 firms · Drugs
Food safety hazards#18
848 citations · 774 firms · Foods
Lack of Written MDR Procedures#19
845 citations · 796 firms · Devices
Nonconforming product, Lack of or inadequate procedures#20
835 citations · 767 firms · Devices
Absence of Written Procedures#21
815 citations · 696 firms · Drugs
Sanitary operations - Plant sanitation#22
813 citations · 768 firms · Foods
Critical control points#23
806 citations · 746 firms · Foods
Record keeping#24
791 citations · 744 firms · Veterinary Medicine
Lack of effective pest exclusion#25
779 citations · 744 firms · Foods
Lack of or inadequate process validation#26
771 citations · 672 firms · Devices
Evaluation - performance, risk#27
768 citations · 696 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Sanitary facilities and controls#28
763 citations · 718 firms · Foods
Specifications - identity, purity, strength, composition#29
686 citations · 562 firms · Foods
Importer verification#30
685 citations · 516 firms · Foods
Critical limits#31
646 citations · 568 firms · Foods
Sanitation of food-contact surfaces - Frequency#32
642 citations · 588 firms · Foods
No HACCP plan#33
607 citations · 561 firms · Foods
Hazard analysis - Identification of hazard#34
599 citations · 551 firms · Foods
Supplier verification - establish written procedures#35
599 citations · 543 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Hazard analysis written#36
585 citations · 543 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Hazard analysis biological, chemical, physical#37
570 citations · 504 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Approved supplier procedures - importer established#38
568 citations · 526 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
ELDU - producer causes Illegal drug residue#39
566 citations · 538 firms · Veterinary Medicine
Cleaning / Sanitizing / Maintenance#40
565 citations · 502 firms · Drugs
Case history records- inadequate or inadequate#41
546 citations · 531 firms · Bioresearch Monitoring
Process filing#42
542 citations · 464 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Monitoring - adequacy#43
527 citations · 470 firms · Foods
Screening#44
523 citations · 508 firms · Foods
Hazard Analysis - Identification of Hazard#45
520 citations · 470 firms · Foods
Quality audits - Lack of or inadequate procedures#46
513 citations · 472 firms · Devices
Verification activity before import, periodically#47
513 citations · 463 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Storage and Distribution#48
506 citations · 472 firms · Foods
Corrective action plan#49
491 citations · 433 firms · Foods
Computer control of master formula records#50
481 citations · 423 firms · Drugs
Sanitation Records#51
479 citations · 440 firms · Foods
Design changes - Lack of or Inadequate Procedures#52
464 citations · 416 firms · Devices
Floors, walls and ceilings#53
443 citations · 425 firms · Foods
Equipment Design, Size and Location#54
439 citations · 391 firms · Drugs
Written procedures - quality control operations#55
434 citations · 371 firms · Foods
Written procedures not established/followed#56
432 citations · 388 firms · Drugs
Food safety plan#57
429 citations · 387 firms · Foods
Testing and release for distribution#58
428 citations · 386 firms · Drugs
Signed and dated#59
428 citations · 395 firms · Foods
Supplier approval - document#60
421 citations · 395 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Procedures for sterile drug products#61
404 citations · 324 firms · Drugs
Component - verify identity, dietary ingredient#62
392 citations · 326 firms · Foods
Buildings/sanitary#63
385 citations · 373 firms · Foods
Training - Lack of or inadequate procedures#64
382 citations · 359 firms · Devices
DMR - not or inadequately maintained#65
371 citations · 339 firms · Devices
Calibration/Inspection/Checking not done#66
368 citations · 335 firms · Drugs
Lack of written stability program#67
366 citations · 334 firms · Drugs
Batch record - complete#68
362 citations · 285 firms · Foods
Control procedures to monitor and validate performance#69
357 citations · 328 firms · Drugs
Specifications-component purity, strength, composition#70
355 citations · 296 firms · Foods
Manufacturing conditions#71
350 citations · 338 firms · Foods
Specifications - component identity#72
348 citations · 291 firms · Foods
Calibration, Inspection, etc. Procedures Lack of or Inadequ#73
348 citations · 315 firms · Devices
Lack of or inadequate DHR procedures#74
343 citations · 317 firms · Devices
Design control - no procedures#75
339 citations · 316 firms · Devices
Verification - record review - frequency#76
338 citations · 303 firms · Foods
Sanitation of non-food-contact surfaces - Manner and frequency#77
334 citations · 307 firms · Foods
Component - qualify supplier#78
331 citations · 272 firms · Foods
Procedures not adequately established or maintained#79
325 citations · 306 firms · Devices
Lack of or inadequate procedures - Acceptance activities#80
322 citations · 297 firms · Devices
Cleaning and sanitizing operations#81
322 citations · 315 firms · Foods
Plant operations - Precautions#82
321 citations · 307 firms · Foods
Reasonable precautions#83
317 citations · 304 firms · Foods
Verification activity assurance#84
316 citations · 300 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Grounds#85
312 citations · 285 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Verification procedures - adequacy#86
309 citations · 279 firms · Foods
Specifications met - verify; finished batch#87
308 citations · 248 firms · Foods
Written procedures - holding#88
307 citations · 283 firms · Foods
Environmental Monitoring System#89
305 citations · 259 firms · Drugs
Prevention of contamination#90
305 citations · 248 firms · Biologics, Drugs, Parts 1240 and 1250
Harborage areas#91
305 citations · 290 firms · Foods
Design Validation - Risk analysis not performed/inadequate#92
303 citations · 279 firms · Devices
Management review - Lack of or inadequate procedures#93
302 citations · 286 firms · Devices
Written procedures - product complaint#94
300 citations · 270 firms · Foods
Lack of or inadequate final acceptance procedures#95
299 citations · 284 firms · Devices
DHR - not or inadequately maintained#96
296 citations · 281 firms · Devices
Master manufacturing record - each batch#97
295 citations · 266 firms · Foods
Process control procedures, Lack of or inadequate procedures#98
294 citations · 276 firms · Devices
Cleaning and sanitizing substances - Safe and adequate#99
293 citations · 278 firms · Foods
Investigation of device failures#100
289 citations · 270 firms · Devices
Specifications - finished dietary supplement#101
286 citations · 281 firms · Foods
Verification activity frequency#102
285 citations · 270 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Complaints#103
283 citations · 266 firms · Devices
Specifications - components#104
277 citations · 270 firms · Foods
Establish, maintain and follow manufacturing SOPs#105
275 citations · 233 firms · Biologics
Equipment, containers, utensils#106
275 citations · 269 firms · Foods
Document review entity's hazard analysis#107
271 citations · 263 firms · Foods, Veterinary Medicine
Training of employees and records#108
269 citations · 250 firms · Foods
Sanitation preventive controls - Appropriate (Adequate)#109
267 citations · 249 firms · Foods
Code - required elements#110
265 citations · 253 firms · Foods
Training--operations, GMPs, written procedures#111
264 citations · 242 firms · Drugs
Failure to wear#112
261 citations · 249 firms · Foods
HACCP training or qualification#113
261 citations · 244 firms · Foods
Not washed/sanitized when appropriate#114
259 citations · 248 firms · Foods
Buildings/good repair#115
259 citations · 250 firms · Foods
Environmental control Lack of or inadequate procedures#116
257 citations · 229 firms · Devices
DHR content#117
256 citations · 243 firms · Devices
Design history file#118
255 citations · 237 firms · Devices
Qualifications of individuals#119
254 citations · 241 firms · Foods
Risk factors, clinical evidence#120
254 citations · 197 firms · Human Tissue for Transplantation
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