NABP is closely monitoring the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) on our scheduled surveys and inspections.

Accreditation and Inspection Applicants

On July 2, 2020, we provided requirements to all accreditation and inspection customers to resume onsite surveys and inspections due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 

For up-to-date COVID-19 community level information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website . We will continue to monitor state and local COVID-19 information. We reserve the right to reschedule or alter the onsite inspection or survey schedule due to COVID-19 community level outbreaks if needed. In order to have processes in place that make it safe for our staff or contractors to go into a facility, the following requirements have been implemented. These requirements may not align with current CDC guidance. 

Facility Requirements

During the onsite survey or inspection, all facility employees that may come in contact with our staff or contractors will wear face coverings and practice social distancing when possible. If our staff or contractor and the facility mutually agree not to wear face coverings during the onsite survey or inspection, we will grant an exception to this requirement.

The facility will notify us about active COVID-19 cases for employees and contractors before and after the survey or inspection. Following is how NABP defines active COVID-19 cases: 

•  Employees and contractors who were physically at the facility
  1. when the NABP notice was received describing the inspection or survey window for the unannounced inspection or survey,
  2. five days or less before the date of a scheduled NABP inspection or survey, or
  3. on the date of the NABP onsite survey or inspection AND 
     • who tested or test positive for COVID-19,  
     • who were presumptively infected with COVID-19 and quarantined due to the risk of community spread of infection among co-workers, or
     • who test positive for COVID-19 within five days of the completion of the onsite survey or inspection.

Examples

• A hospital pharmacy would only need to report the active COVID-19 cases among the pharmacy employees and contractors, and not the active COVID-19 cases of the hospital and all its staff. 
• A remote employee, who was not physically onsite during the NABP survey or inspection and later tested positive for COVID-19, is not an active case and is not required to be reported. 
• A pharmacy staff member, who was interviewed in-person by our staff or contractor and who tests positive for COVID-19 five days after the NABP survey or inspection, is an active COVID-19 case and is required to be reported to us.

The timeline for reporting active COVID-19 cases is as follows: 

• For unannounced inspections and surveys , once the facility receives notification that it is in the NABP survey or inspection window, the facility must notify us of all active COVID-19 cases as defined above. We will evaluate whether we may move forward with the inspection or survey or if a delay is necessary for the safety of our staff and contractors. Failure to report active COVID-19 cases before travel begins could result in terminating the inspection or survey and/or loss of any prepaid inspection or survey fees. Additional fees or a new application may be required for another onsite inspection or survey. 
• For announced surveys , the facility must report active COVID-19 cases involving employees or contractors that started five days or less before the date of the scheduled survey. 
• For both unannounced and announced inspections and surveys , within five days after the onsite survey or inspection, the facility is required to report active COVID-19 cases to us that were present during the onsite survey or inspection. 

NABP Requirements

During the onsite survey or inspection all of our staff or contractors will wear face coverings and practice social distancing when possible, unless there is a mutual agreement not to, as stated above. Our staff and contractors will adhere to any additional reasonable safety measures requested by the facility if the request is communicated prior to our staff or contactor’s travel. Failure to provide a request prior to our staff or contractor’s travel, when the facility denies access, will be considered a denial of entry and the application may be cancelled or additional fees may be applied for us to return on a future date. Our staff or contractor will notify the facility of anyone who conducted the inspection or survey that contracts, tests positive, or is presumptively infected with COVID-19 and quarantines within five days of the onsite survey or inspection, including known or estimated dates of infection. 

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a fluid situation; consequently, the above requirements are subject to change. At our own discretion, we solely reserve the right to decide whether to conduct a specific inspection or survey. Failure to follow the above requirements can result in a delay of a survey or inspection and forfeiture of any collected survey or inspection fees. If NABP cancels an inspection or survey due to recent COVID-19 cases at the facility, any and all travel and inspector/surveyor costs will be the responsibility of the facility. NABP will not reschedule the onsite visit until those costs are paid.

Contact the Accreditation and Inspection Programs department at 847/391-4539 with any questions or visit the  Programs page  for additional information.