10914.2 Samples for investigative testing maybe submitted by various sources including customs, police and medicines inspectors. These samples comprise suspicious, illegal or counterfeit substances or products. Usually, the primary objective of investigative testing is to identify the substance or the
ingredient in the product and, if suffi cient substance or product is available, to estimate the purity or content. Well-documented screening procedures should be in place as well as con rmatory analytical procedures to positively identify the substance or the ingredients. If an estimation of the content of an identifi ed ingredient is required then an appropriate quantitative analytical procedure should be applied. The value obtained should be reported with an indication of the uncertainty of measurement if required (see Part three, section 18.10).
14.3 It is common fora sample to betaken and divided into three approximately equal portions for submission to the laboratory:
—
one
for immediate testing;
—
the second for con rmation of testing if required and
—
the third for retention in case of dispute If the laboratory is responsible for sampling of substances, materials or products for subsequent testing then it should have a sampling plan and an internal procedure for sampling available to all analysts and technicians working in the laboratory. Samples should be representative of the batches of material from which they are taken and sampling should be carried out so as to avoid contamination and other
adverse effects on quality, or mix-up of or by the material being sampled. All the relevant data related to sampling should be recorded.
Note:
Guidelines for sampling of pharmaceutical products and related materials
were adopted by the WHO Expert Committee on
Specifi cations for Pharmaceutical Preparations
at its thirty-ninth meeting (
22)
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