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Ian Lucas

Ian is a Director of SeerPharma, and has over 30 years experience with software development and implementing computerised systems. He has successfully designed and implemented many quality management and manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and other regulated industries. Ian manages the Software Products Business Unit that works closely with customers to deliver fully validated customer-focused automated solutions. Ian regularly presents training courses and seminars on practical approaches to computer validation.

Recent Posts

Computer Software Assurance - Configuration, Design & Closing the Loop

September 30, 2020

In the previous article, we looked at including Test Cases and the Functional Risk Assessment into the Functional Requirements Specification. This provided multiple benefits over maintaining these as separate documents:

  • Forces requirements to be testable (described in the test cases)
  • Forces thinking using ‘what if’ scenarios on requirements which...
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Computer Software Assurance (CSA) - Use of Critical Thinking

August 18, 2020

In previous articles, we looked at reasons to rethink and simplify the approach to Computer System Validation (CSV). This highlighted a system level ‘macro risk’ assessment using several key factors (including GAMP category and direct/indirect product impact) to determine an overall Risk Profile Score; and then a GAMP functional risk assessment...

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Computer Software Assurance (CSA) – Risk and Reward

July 20, 2020

In a previous article, we looked at the reasoning behind why the FDA thought there was a need for a change of approach for many companies with their Computer System Validation (CSV). In this article we will look at how a more structured risk assessment approach will lead to greater computerised system rewards – and at a lower cost.

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Computer Software Assurance (CSA)

June 17, 2020

Computerised System Validation (CSV) is an activity carried out by Pharmaceutical and Medical Device organisations to ensure that IT infrastructure and applications that impact product quality are operating in a controlled state. Organisations must demonstrate an appropriate level of control of their Computer Systems to regulators such as the US...

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A Better Way of Conducting Product Quality Reviews (PQRs)

November 11, 2019

The requirement to perform regular Product Quality Reviews (PQRs) is mandated in most codes of Good Manufacturing Practice. For most of these, the frequency of these reviews is to be at least annually.

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A Guide for Validating and Maintaining IT Infrastructure

June 24, 2019

If you work at a regulated company, then there is a fair chance that you have heard of the term computer system validation (CSV). The issue is that a “computer system” is technically the hardware and software of a platform system. Around that you need to add application software, ancillary equipment, people and procedures to form a “computerised...

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How to Correctly Gather User Requirements for IT Project Success

December 21, 2017

There are many phases in a computerised system project and all are important, but none more so than gathering User Requirements.

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