Update on web-based electronic Application Forms (eAFs) implementation

The electronic Application Form (eAF) and Product Management Service (PMS) teams would like to provide you with a comprehensive update on the progress of the web-based Human variations eAF implementation on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Portal.

• Release of split* (i.e. IDMP compliant) Centrally Authorised Products (CAPs) for use in the variations eAF;
• Release National Authorised Products (NAPs) for use into the Human variations eAF;
• Introduction of the Product Data Management User Interface (UI), offering users seamless access to view their product data available in the Product Management Services (PMS) database.

As we advance, we remain committed to transparency and will provide a comprehensive update on these targets at the end of Q4 2023, evaluating the quality of both the system and available data.
Currently, our primary focus is ensuring quality of data and system's performance to prepare a transition-ready version of the web-based Human variations eAF. To begin the transition phase towards mandatory use of web-based Human variations eAFs, the following key steps are required:

1. Implementation of missing features.
2. Resolving pending issues that prevent users from completing a form.
3. Releasing all products (NAPs and split* (i.e. IDMP compliant) CAPs) from the Product Management System (PMS) to the PLM portal in the production environment.
4. Capability to keep PMS data synchronised with existing databases.
5. Ensuring system stability.

As previously committed, any announcement concerning the starting date of the formal transition period will follow User Acceptance Testing (UAT) of the system and the subsequent addressing of any critical issues. This is explained in this slide.
The primary objective remains to implement web replacements of interactive PDF eAFs, enabling user-friendly capture and handling of variations, marketing authorisations, and renewals application data for both applicants and regulators. This transition ensures consistency across IT systems and guarantees the availability of high-quality ISO IDMP compliant information.
For further details on the implementation progress and challenges, and the opportunity to ask questions, interested parties are invited to the joint eAF-PMS webinar for 6 November 2023 (13:30 - 15:00 (CEST)). During this session, the eAF team will also demonstrate the anticipated "add package" and "clone application" features that will be released on the PLM Portal for eAF. Please find here the registration link.
We also recommend that anyone with an interest in the development of eAF and PMS watch the relevant sections of the Q3 System Demo recording, available on EMA's website.

Please send any questions to plm.valuestream@ema.europa.eu or via the PLM Portal Forum.

*CAPs migrated from SIAMED not following ISO IDMP structure. For this reason, they have undergone a further step in the data migration to PMS in addition to the match and merge protocol.