Pharmaceutical professionals, faculty members, researchers, and representatives from the industry brought with them knowledge of Pharmaceutical Quality Systems (PQS) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) as they gathered for the “Understanding Pharmaceutical Quality Systems and Related GMP Core Systems” training seminar from July 20 to 22, 2026, at the Robert Hoeppner Hall, USC Talamban Campus.

This three-day seminar was hosted by the University of San Carlos, through its Department of Pharmacy, and in partnership with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE)-Philippine Affiliate.
Leading the enriching conversations are pharmaceutical quality and regulatory compliance specialists.
One of the speakers, Jesusa Joyce N. Cirunay, R.Ph., Director IV of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA), gave lectures on regulatory requirements for Pharmaceutical Quality Systems, Product Quality Review, Quality Risk Management, Equipment Qualification, and Process Validation.
Complementary lectures were delivered by consultants from PGA Quality Systems Consultancy, namely Pura G. Averilla, R.Ph., M.B.A. (Senior Pharmaceutical Quality and Compliance) and Ella Elena H. Braga, (Pharmaceutical Quality and Compliance).
Day 1 of the seminar emphasized the fundamentals of PQS: its basic principles, the four elements of a quality system, quality system enablers, and product quality review (see photo below).

Day 2 tackled quality risk management, introducing the principles of ICH Q9, methods of risk management, the role of quality leadership in risk management culture, and risk reporting to the FDA. The second day’s lecture included a hands-on activity where participants learned to design a quality risk management plan.
On the last day of the seminar, participants likewise engaged in interactive workshops, having learned how to design qualification and validation protocols for specific dosage forms (see photo below).

To reinforce key concepts, daily sessions featured tests, Q&A, group discussions, and mini-workshops, concluding with post-evaluations and certificate distribution.
