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Form Plug-and-play starting point Clinical & GCP

Form: Protocol Deviation Report

A plug-and-play per-event clinical protocol deviation record capturing identification, classification, reporting, CAPA, and data-impact, structured so the deviation log reconciles to the IRB submissions and the CSR, with field definitions and a filled specimen.

Document type: Form

Read and copy the template below into your own quality system. It is a generic starting point for your own internal use, provided as is, with no warranty; see the Terms and License. Adopting it does not by itself create compliance.

This is a ready-to-use per-event record for a single clinical protocol deviation. It is the paired form for the protocol deviation management SOP. Replace every <<FILL: ...>> placeholder. Always identify the subject by ID, never by name. A field guide and a filled specimen follow.

Field guide

FieldFormatRequiredWho entersWhen
Deviation ID<<FILL: scheme, e.g. PD-014-031>>YesSite / sponsorAt identification
Study / protocol versionTextYesSiteAt identification
Site numberTextYesSiteAt identification
Subject IDID only, no nameYesSiteAt identification
Protocol section departed fromTextYesSiteAt identification
Event date / discovery dateDate / dateYesSiteAt identification
Identified by / channelTextYesSite / CRAAt identification

Section 1: Identification

FieldEntry
Deviation ID<<FILL>>
Study / protocol version<<FILL>>
Site number<<FILL>>
Subject ID<<FILL: ID only>>
Protocol section / requirement departed from<<FILL>>
Event date / discovery date<<FILL>>
Identified by / channel (self, CRA, central monitoring, audit)<<FILL>>
Description of what happened<<FILL>>
Immediate action taken<<FILL>>

Section 2: Classification

FieldEntry
Affects subject safety / rights / wellbeing?<<FILL: Y/N + how>>
Affects data used in an analysis? Which?<<FILL: primary / key secondary / safety / PK / none>>
Isolated or pattern?<<FILL>>
Classification<<FILL: Minor / Important>>
Classification rationale (against written criteria)<<FILL>>
Candidate EU serious breach?<<FILL: Y/N + basis; if Y, escalate to sponsor now>>
Classified by / date<<FILL>>

Section 3: Reporting

FieldEntry
Governing IRB/EC<<FILL>>
IRB/EC reporting required? Threshold / timeline<<FILL>>
IRB/EC submitted (date) / acknowledged (date)<<FILL>>
Immediate-hazard deviation reported after the fact?<<FILL: Y/N/NA>>
Serious breach notified to authority (date)?<<FILL: date or N/A>>
Sponsor notified (date)<<FILL>>

Section 4: Root cause and CAPA

FieldEntry
Root cause<<FILL>>
Correction (this instance)<<FILL>>
Preventive action (systemic, all affected sites)<<FILL>>
CAPA reference<<FILL: number or N/A>>
Effectiveness verification plan<<FILL>>

Section 5: Data-impact assessment

FieldEntry
Analysis population effect (per SAP)<<FILL>>
Subject retained / excluded from per-protocol?<<FILL>>
Sensitivity analysis needed / result<<FILL>>
Predefined CSR category<<FILL>>
Assessed by (biostatistics / medical monitor) / date<<FILL>>

Section 6: Closure

FieldEntry
Filed in ISF / TMF (Y/N)<<FILL>>
PI sign-off (name, signature, date)<<FILL>>
Sponsor / QA review (name, signature, date)<<FILL>>
Status<<FILL: Open / Closed>>

Acceptance criteria

  • Subject identified by ID only; classification rationale recorded against written criteria.
  • IRB/EC and (if applicable) serious-breach reporting captured with dates and acknowledgments.
  • CAPA addresses the systemic cause where the deviation is a pattern.
  • Data-impact assessment maps the deviation to the SAP populations; CSR category assigned.

References

ICH E6 GCP (investigator and sponsor deviation obligations). ICH E3 (CSR section 10.2; Appendix 16.2.2). 21 CFR 312.66; 21 CFR 56.108; Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 Article 52.

Confirm current versions before issue.


Filled specimen

Illustrative completed record.

SectionEntry
Deviation IDPD-014-031
Subject IDS-014-007
Section departed from7.3, primary endpoint sampling window
Event / discoverySample drawn 11 days post-visit (4 days out of window); discovered at monitoring visit
ClassificationImportant; touches the primary endpoint; rationale recorded; not a serious breach
ReportingSite IRB threshold 10 working days; submitted well inside the clock; acknowledged; no authority notification
CAPAPD-CAPA-022: retrain site; add study-wide out-of-window alert; effectiveness over two cycles
Data impactStays in full analysis set; drops from per-protocol; sensitivity analysis confirms effect holds; CSR category “primary endpoint outside window”
ClosureFiled in TMF; PI signed; sponsor QA reviewed; Closed

The record carries everything an inspector reconciles: the honest “Important” classification with its rationale, the in-clock IRB submission, the systemic CAPA, and the analysis handling, all traceable to one subject ID.

Common inspection findings this form prevents

  • Subject identified by name (a privacy and GCP failure).
  • A classification with a verdict but no rationale.
  • A deviation reported to the IRB but never logged, or logged but never reported.
  • No data-impact assessment for a deviation that touched the primary endpoint.

How to adapt this form

  1. Pre-load your predefined CSR categories so Section 5 is a pick-list.
  2. Reference your written classification criteria next to Section 2.
  3. If you use an electronic deviation system, map these fields to its structured fields so the data stays queryable for trending.
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