21 CFR Part 211 · Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Finished Pharmaceuticals

§ 211.165 Testing and release for distribution

Subpart I - Laboratory Controls Official text on eCFR Amendment history

(a) For each batch of drug product, there shall be appropriate laboratory determination of satisfactory conformance to final specifications for the drug product, including the identity and strength of each active ingredient, prior to release. Where sterility and/or pyrogen testing are conducted on specific batches of shortlived radiopharmaceuticals, such batches may be released prior to completion of sterility and/or pyrogen testing, provided such testing is completed as soon as possible.

(b) There shall be appropriate laboratory testing, as necessary, of each batch of drug product required to be free of objectionable microorganisms.

(c) Any sampling and testing plans shall be described in written procedures that shall include the method of sampling and the number of units per batch to be tested; such written procedure shall be followed.

(d) Acceptance criteria for the sampling and testing conducted by the quality control unit shall be adequate to assure that batches of drug products meet each appropriate specification and appropriate statistical quality control criteria as a condition for their approval and release. The statistical quality control criteria shall include appropriate acceptance levels and/or appropriate rejection levels.

(e) The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of test methods employed by the firm shall be established and documented. Such validation and documentation may be accomplished in accordance with § 211.194(a)(2) .

(f) Drug products failing to meet established standards or specifications and any other relevant quality control criteria shall be rejected. Reprocessing may be performed. Prior to acceptance and use, reprocessed material must meet appropriate standards, specifications, and any other relevant criteria.

Independent copy, not an official legal edition. 21 CFR is a U.S. Government work in the public domain; this text comes from the eCFR and the annual CFR edition, and may lag recent amendments. The authoritative version is on ecfr.gov. Compliome is not affiliated with or endorsed by FDA. Not legal advice.

What FDA inspectors cite under § 211.165

Form FDA 483 observations citing this section, fiscal years 2009–2026 (Drugs).

  • Testing and release for distribution 849
  • Test methods 400
  • Microbiological testing 264
  • Failing drug products not rejected 174
  • Acceptance criteria for sampling & testing 103
  • Sampling and testing plans not described 54

Warning letters citing § 211.165

336 FDA warning letters since 2017 cite this section ; the most recent:

FDA guidance that cites § 211.165

and 30 more.

Amendment history

Federal Register documents that created or amended this section.