PV Bulletin

Adoption of ICH E6(R3) Annex 2 for Good Clinical Practice

Swissmedic communicated the outcomes from the ICH Assembly meeting in Rio de Janeiro, where ICH E6(R3) Annex 2 was adopted as Final, impacting clinical trial safety operations.

Primary source: Report of the ICH Technology Task Force

PV Impact Brief

Urgency: HighConfidence: high

What changed

ICH E6(R3) Annex 2 was adopted at Step 4, transitioning to the implementation phase, necessitating changes in safety monitoring practices for clinical trials.

Why it matters

The adoption of this guideline reflects a significant shift towards integrating decentralized trial methods and RWD in clinical research, enhancing patient safety and data relevance.

Action needed

MAHs and trial sponsors must align their safety monitoring and data collection workflows with the new GCP principles established in ICH E6(R3) Annex 2.

Relevant for
Regulatory Intelligence LeadPV Quality Lead
Processes impacted
Inspection ReadinessCAPASignal Management
Owner

Regulatory Intelligence Lead

Review cadence

Ongoing review recommended as further guidance from ICH may emerge during the implementation phase.

Policy change details

Document type
Notice
Policy status
final
Publication date
2026-06-22
Policy change
Swissmedic communication summarizing the outcomes of the ICH Assembly meeting in Rio de Janeiro (June 2026). The assembly adopted ICH E6(R3) Annex 2 as Final (Step 4), which covers additional GCP considerations for decentralized trials and real-world data (RWD).

Key changes

Finalization and Step 4 adoption of ICH E6(R3) Annex 2; transition to implementation phase for new GCP principles applied to various trial designs and data sources.

Affected workflows

Inspection ReadinessCAPA

Responsible groups

Clinical OperationsRegulatory AffairsPV Operations

Document identifiers

ICH E6(R3) Annex 2

PV impact

Significant impact on clinical trial safety operations; MAH and sponsors must align safety monitoring and data collection processes with the new Annex 2 requirements for decentralized and RWD-integrated trials.

View regulator source

Source document details

Exact policy details

ICH E6(R3) Guideline for Good Clinical Practice adoption
Adopted as Final
Applies to: Applicable to Good Clinical Practice across various trial designs
Adopted at Step 4 of the ICH harmonisation process and entered implementation phase. · p. 1 · High · Source
Next ICH Assembly meeting
Scheduled for 17 and 18 November 2026
Applies to: Next scheduled meeting to address ICH strategic vision and guideline development
The next ICH Assembly meeting is scheduled to take place in Prague, Czech Republic. · p. 1 · High · Source
Technology Task Force Final Report publication
Approved for publication on the ICH website
Applies to: Relevant to the development of a digital platform for ICH guideline collaboration
The Report of the ICH Technology Task Force was approved for publication. · p. 1 · High · Source
Data hosted on the ICH platform
Hosted in Switzerland
Applies to: Applicable to all ICH collaboration and regulatory activities
Single cloud-based platform hosted in Switzerland subject to Swiss law. · p. 9 · High · Source
Temporary data retention on the ICH platform
Data retained only during the active collaboration period
Applies to: Applicable for all data shared during collaborations
Documents and information are retained only for the duration of an active collaboration. · p. 9 · High · Source

Workflow rule impacts

Vendor OversightICH Management Committee

Increased collaboration security and data confidentiality during guideline development

Introduction of secure sharing protocols

Recommended platform would enable secure, temporary sharing of information between Regulatory Authorities and industry sponsors. · p. 2 · High · Source
Signal ManagementICH Technology Task Force

Facilitates regulatory convergence and promotes consistency in assessment across regions.

Enhanced data sharing processes

The platform is intended to address critical gaps in ICH's current capabilities that limit confidential collaboration on guideline implementation and development. · p. 1 · High · Source

Extracted documents

Evidence and confidence

Confidence: highSource updated: Jun 22, 2026

Full briefing

Practical implication

MAHs and trial sponsors must align their safety monitoring and data collection workflows with the new GCP principles established in ICH E6(R3) Annex 2.

The ICH Assembly adopted ICH E6(R3) Annex 2, which introduces new GCP principles for decentralized trials and integration of real-world data (RWD) into safety monitoring processes. This guideline is set to enter the implementation phase, requiring MAH and sponsors to align their safety monitoring and data collection with these new requirements.

What changed: ICH E6(R3) Annex 2 was adopted at Step 4, transitioning to the implementation phase, necessitating changes in safety monitoring practices for clinical trials.

Why it matters: The adoption of this guideline reflects a significant shift towards integrating decentralized trial methods and RWD in clinical research, enhancing patient safety and data relevance.

Practical implication: MAHs and trial sponsors must align their safety monitoring and data collection workflows with the new GCP principles established in ICH E6(R3) Annex 2.

View original source

Published from the Firecrawl policy change extraction pipeline.

#Safety Signals#Notice#final#Swissmedic (Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products)#inspection#policy-change#firecrawl-policy-agent

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