On April 3, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it will inspect importers for compliance with the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) rule remotely during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“Under the FSVP regulation FDA has the authority to make written requests for importers to provide records to the agency electronically or by other prompt means,” FDA said in a Constituent Update. “Because of the travel restrictions, social distancing, and other advisories associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, the FDA has determined that most routine onsite inspections are temporarily impractical to conduct at this time.”
FDA intends to begin these remote FSVP inspections immediately and will prioritize importers with foreign suppliers that had inspections postponed due to COVID-19. Click here for information on FSVP and what an FSVP inspection looks like.
Failure to develop an FSVP was the most commonly cited inspection violation for the food industry in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. Other common FSVP-related violations included:
- Failing to follow or maintain the FSVP
- Failing to translate the FSVP into English when applicable
- Failing to sign and date the FSVP upon modification
- Failing to make adequate assurances of supplier’s food safety
Do not be unprepared if FDA requests your FSVP records. Registrar Corp can assist by developing or reviewing your FSVPs for FDA compliance. Simply contact us by phone at (757) 224-0177, email [email protected], or click here to chat with a Regulatory Advisor 24/7.
