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  4. Drug Development Tool (DDT) Qualification Programs
  5. Clinical Outcome Assessment (COA) Qualification Program
  1. Drug Development Tool (DDT) Qualification Programs

Clinical Outcome Assessment (COA) Qualification Program

CDER & CBER’s DDT Qualification Project Search Database

Locate a project or a qualified Clinical Outcome Assessment on CDER & CBER’s DDT Qualification Project Search database

The CDER Clinical Outcome Assessment (COA) Qualification Program

  • Manages the qualification process for COAs intended to address unmet public health needs.
  • Works directly with requestors in guiding COA development for qualification.
  • Encourages a collaborative, multidisciplinary setting where CDER can review COAs and provide advice on the development or modification of COAs outside the IND/NDA/BLA pathway.

COA Qualification

COA qualification is a regulatory conclusion that the COA is a well-defined and reliable assessment of a specified concept of interest for use in adequate and well-controlled (A&WC) studies in a specified context of use. COA qualification represents a conclusion that within the stated context of use, results of assessment can be relied upon to measure a specific concept and have a specific interpretation and application in drug development and regulatory decision-making.

If you are interested in potentially participating in the qualification program, we highly encourage you to watch the COA Qualification Program orientation session to learn valuable information related to the qualification process requirements. You may also download the slide deck.

Please be advised that formal regulatory qualification is a multi-year process. Qualification is not required for a COA to be successfully used in clinical trials and drug development to support regulatory decision making.

Contact us at: COADDTQualification@fda.hhs.gov


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Learn about COAQP stages & submissions and subscribe to program updates


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