Uncertainty budget for final assay of a pharmaceutical product based on RP-HPLC

Compliance with specified limits for the content of active substance in a pharmaceutical drug requires knowledge of the uncertainty of the final assay. The uncertainty of measurement is based on the ISO recommendation as expressed in the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). The reported example illustrates the estimation of uncertainty for the final determination of a protein concentration by HPLC using UV detection, using the approach described by EURACHEM/CITAC.

The combined standard uncertainty for a protein concentration of 2400 mumol/L was estimated to be 14 mumol/L. All known and potential uncertainty components are presented in Ishikawa diagrams and were carefully evaluated using Type A or Type B estimates. Special efforts were made to avoid duplication or omission of significant contributions to the combined uncertainty.

Hence, before accepting the uncertainty budget, the estimated combined standard uncertainty was verified using the variation observed in a number of quality control samples.