Auditing Guide
Annex 1–
Pre-Audit Questionnaire
_________________________________________________________________________
This template has been developed by APIC/CEFIC. You may use the templates for your internal auditing purpose but for the
purpose of a Third Party Audit, please note that only APIC Certified Auditors are authorised to perform an official APIC Audit
that is coordinated by the API Compliance Institute. While efforts have been made to assure the accuracy APIC/CEFIC cannot
be held liable for any errors or omissions. You are not allowed to delete this disclaimer when using this template.
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 2/9
When used as part of the APIC Audit Programme, the following section applies:-
This questionnaire was brought to you by:
API Compliance Institute
Rischerstr. 8
D-69123 Heidelberg
In case of any question or comment concerning this questionnaire please contact:
Anne Günster
E-mail: guenster@api-compliance.org
Tel: +49 6221 8444 50
Fax: +49 6221 8444 34
The questionnaire together with the accompanying information should be sent back to the API
Compliance Institute (addressee above) after completion.
Responsible person for filling out respectively completing this questionnaire
________________________________________________________________
Name, Function
________________________________________________________________
Date, Location, Signature
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 3/9
Preamble
It is the purpose of this questionnaire to facilitate the preparation of the auditors for the audit at your
company and to make it as efficient as possible. It is neither intended for self-assessment nor for vendor
rating or qualification.
All information provided in this questionnaire will be treated strictly confidential. Nevertheless it is
acceptable if your company chooses not to answer some of the questions listed below.
In case your company agrees to submit some/all of the requested documents these will be returned to
your company after the Audit Report is signed and issued.
A. General Information about the Company
1. Company name
2. Address of Company
Name of production plant to be
3. audited and address if different
from no. 2
Telephone (Switchboard)
4. and Fax number
where the audit takes place
Name of the “audit
5. representative” of the company
for the audit (contact person)
E-mail address and telephone
6.
number of the contact person
Name of product(s) subject to
7.
the audit
8. Approximate size of the plant
Approximate number of
9.
employees
Is this a pure production site or
are there other Headquarters
10.
functions (e.g. Research)
located at the site?
Are there other companies
11. located on the same area as the
company to be audited?
If so, which companies are
12. these and what types of
products are produced?
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 4/9
-specify the type of products
manufactured at your site (raw
13. materials, starting materials,
intermediates, API’s and drug
product)
Does your company have a web
site that provides an overview of
14.
activities?
If so, please specify:
Is there other information about
15. your company the auditors could
use for their preparation?
B. Quality related Information
Is there a Quality Policy in
1.
place?
Is there a commitment of the
2. management to comply with
cGMP ?
Does the company/plant
maintain a Quality Management
System? Is the company/plant
3. certified according to a Quality
Management System standard
(e.g. ISO 9001 or based on ICH
Q10)?
Please provide information on
the latest inspections by national
4. or international Regulatory
Authorities (authority, date,
outcome)
Is your Quality Unit (QU)
independent from Production
5.
(please provide organograms if
possible)
Please provide the names of
6. persons authorised to release
materials to be sold
Does your company conduct
7. regular internal audits (self-
Inspections)?
Is there an Internal Audit
8.
schedule available?
Do you have a CEP for the
product(s) to be audited? If so,
9.
would you provide us with a
copy for each product?
Do you have an EDMF? If so,
10. could you provide a copy of the
Applicant’s Part?
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 5/9
Do you have a Site Master File
(SMF EU nomenclature; old DMF
11.
Type 1 US nomenclature) that
you could provide ?
Are Product Quality Reviews
performed? If yes, can you
12. please provide your latest
Product Quality Review for the
product(s) to be audited?
Can you provide us with an
13. example of a certificate of
analysis?
Are the laboratories used on site
14. or are contract laboratories
used?
Do you use contract
manufacturers for the product(s)
15.
to be audited? If so, which steps
are concerned?
Name and address of any
16.
contract manufacturers
Does your company have a
procedure for Supplier
Qualification including contract
17.
manufacturers? If yes please
provide it or summarise it
Do you have an audit plan for
contract manufacturers and
suppliers?
18. If yes please provide a schedule
of audits performed in last 12
months and audits planned in
next 12 months or longer.
Did your company employ
19. consultants within the past 24
months?
C. Product related Information
Is the material to be audited
manufactured by chemical
1. processing, by classical
fermentation or is it a
biotechnological product?
Would you please provide us
2. with a brief description of the
route of manufacture?
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 6/9
Are any materials used of animal
or human origin in Production-if
3. yes, please provide details and
relevant certificates for example
TSE/BSE status
Are the Materials stored at the
4.
facilities to be audited?
Please provide name and
5. address if alternative storage
facilities are used.
Is the production of the
product(s) performed in
6.
dedicated or multi-purpose
equipment?
Is the equipment used for
7. commercial and clinical
material?
Is the material to be audited
regarded as highly sensitising,
8. potent or toxic and if so can you
provide a Material Safety Data
Sheet?
Are computer systems used to
9. control cGMP operations? If yes
state which ones
Are microbiological aspects /
10.
specifications relevant?
Is all cGMP related
11.
documentation readily available?
D. cGMP related Information
Do you have a recall procedure
1.
in place?
Do you have a procedure for
2.
handling of complaints?
Do you have a Change Control
3.
System in place?
Are critical process steps defined
4.
and validated?
Is a batch record review
5. conducted by the QU before
product release?
Are procedures in place to
6.
handle all investigations?
-is there a documented
7. management review system in
place
Do you have an OOS procedure
8.
in place?
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 7/9
Has the impurity profile of the
9.
material been established?
Please justify your re-test or
10.
expiry dates
Are the employees regularly
11. trained and is the training
documented?
If applicable, are dedicated
production areas for highly
12. sensitising materials (penicillins
and/or cephalosporins) or High
Potency materials available?
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 8/9
E. Comments from your Company
Please provide any additional information your company feels the auditors should be aware of before the
audit:
ACI : Auditing Guide – Annex 1 Page 9/9
F. Requested Documents
To facilitate proper preparation of the auditors we encourage you to provide the following documents in
advance.
Documents are provided on a purely voluntary basis, but we guarantee that the submitted documents will
be treated strictly confidential. All documents will be returned after the audit report is issued. If not
provided please ensure these documents are available at the opening meeting of the audit
1. Information about the company
2. CEP(s) if applicable
3. Applicant’s Part of EDMF(s) if applicable
4. Specimen of a Certificate of Analysis
5. Summary of last relevant Product Quality Review
6. Site Master File or at least a site map and drawings of production areas
7. Description of the manufacturing process
8. Safety Data sheet in case of sensitising or high potency or toxic product
9. Index of Quality Manual and / or Index of SOP’s covering ICH Q7 Chapters relevant to your operations.
10. Impurity profile and current stability data
