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“headline”: “SOP for SAE Reporting to Regulators in Clinical Trials”,
“description”: “This SOP provides standardized procedures for reporting serious adverse events (SAEs) to regulatory authorities, ensuring compliance with ICH GCP, FDA, EMA, CDSCO, and WHO requirements for expedited safety reporting.”,
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Published on 21/12/2025
Standard Operating Procedure for SAE Reporting to Regulators
| Department | Clinical Research |
| SOP No. | CR/SAE/043/2025 |
| Supersedes | NA |
| Page No. | 1 of 22 |
| Issue Date | 26/08/2025 |
| Effective Date | 01/09/2025 |
| Review Date | 01/09/2026 |
Purpose
The purpose of this SOP is to describe the procedures for reporting serious adverse events (SAEs) to regulatory authorities in compliance with global requirements. It ensures timely reporting, accurate documentation,
Scope
This SOP applies to investigators, sponsors, and CROs responsible for SAE submission to regulatory agencies. It covers expedited, periodic, and follow-up safety reporting, including electronic submissions via regulatory portals.
Responsibilities
- Principal Investigator (PI): Notifies sponsor of SAEs and provides required documentation for regulatory submission.
- Sponsor/CRO: Responsible for submitting SAEs to regulatory authorities within required timelines.
- Regulatory Affairs Department: Manages submissions to FDA, EMA, CDSCO, and other authorities.
- QA Officer: Reviews compliance with reporting requirements during audits and inspections.
Accountability
The sponsor is accountable for ensuring SAE regulatory reporting is accurate, timely, and compliant with global requirements. The PI remains accountable for initial SAE reporting to the sponsor.
Procedure
1. Initial SAE Notification
PI reports SAE to sponsor within 24 hours of awareness.
Sponsor initiates regulatory assessment for expedited submission.
2. Reporting Timelines
Fatal or life-threatening SAEs: Submit to regulatory authority within 7 calendar days.
All other SAEs: Submit within 15 calendar days.
Follow-up reports: Submit as soon as new information is available.
3. Submission Process
Prepare SAE Case Report using regulatory-compliant template.
Submit electronically via FDA Safety Reporting Portal, EudraVigilance (EMA), or SUGAM (CDSCO).
Maintain submission receipts in TMF and ISF.
4. Documentation
Maintain SAE Submission Log (Annexure-1).
File acknowledgment receipts from authorities.
Reconcile SAE submissions with safety database.
5. Reconciliation and Close-Out
Reconcile SAE site reports, sponsor records, and regulatory submissions.
Ensure all submissions are complete before study close-out.
6. Archiving
Archive SAE submissions and correspondence for minimum 5 years post-trial or as per regulatory requirements.
Abbreviations
- SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
- PI: Principal Investigator
- SAE: Serious Adverse Event
- CRO: Clinical Research Organization
- QA: Quality Assurance
- TMF: Trial Master File
- ISF: Investigator Site File
- FDA: Food and Drug Administration
- EMA: European Medicines Agency
- CDSCO: Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
Documents
- SAE Submission Log (Annexure-1)
- SAE Case Report Template (Annexure-2)
- Regulatory Acknowledgment Record (Annexure-3)
References
- ICH E2A – Clinical Safety Data Management
- US FDA – Safety Reporting Requirements
- EMA – Pharmacovigilance and Safety Reporting
- CDSCO – SAE Reporting Guidelines
- WHO – Global Safety Reporting Standards
Version: 1.0
Approval Section
| Prepared By | Rajesh Kumar, Clinical Research Associate |
| Checked By | Sunita Reddy, QA Officer |
| Approved By | Dr. Anil Sharma, Principal Investigator |
Annexures
Annexure-1: SAE Submission Log
| Date | Subject ID | Event | Regulatory Authority | Submission Date | Acknowledgment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/09/2025 | CT2025-SITE01-101 | Severe allergic reaction | FDA | 13/09/2025 | Yes |
Annexure-2: SAE Case Report Template
| Subject ID | Event Description | Date of Onset | Causality | Expectedness | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT2025-SITE01-101 | Severe allergic reaction | 12/09/2025 | Possibly related | Unexpected | Recovered |
Annexure-3: Regulatory Acknowledgment Record
| Date | Regulatory Authority | Acknowledgment No. | Verified By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/09/2025 | FDA | ACK-FDA-2025-1122 | QA Officer |
Revision History
| Revision Date | Revision No. | Revision Details | Reason for Revision | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26/08/2025 | 00 | Initial version | New SOP creation | Head, Clinical Research |
For more SOPs visit: Pharma SOP