Warning Letter Nosedive: US FDA Writes Fewest Quality-Related Missives Since 2002; Agency Isn't Sure Why

Only 57 quality-related warning letters were issued to device manufacturers in 2016, a 14-year-low that has left US FDA scratching its head as to why so few were sent to firms. "Our analyst team talked to both managers and staff alike within the device center, within ORA, and we could not identify a single factor or event to attribute the drop to," FDA compliance office official Sean Boyd said in an interview. Also: US inspections are down 2%, while foreign audits are up 16%; the top three quality system violations are revealed by FDA; an update on the number of close-out letters sent to firms; and more.