Which department is usually the last to review a product before it can be marketed?

Quality Assurance is the department responsible for ensuring that products meet specific quality standards and regulations before they are marketed. This department conducts thorough examinations and evaluations of the products, reviewing the manufacturing processes, safety, and efficacy data to confirm compliance with regulations set by governing bodies such as the FDA.

By the time a product reaches the Quality Assurance department, it has usually already undergone extensive testing and development in the Research and Development phase, along with production considerations. Hence, Quality Assurance acts as the final checkpoint to affirm that everything adheres to the required standards and is safe for consumer use.

While Quality Control focuses on testing products during the manufacturing process to identify defects or issues in real-time, Quality Assurance's role in reviewing and approving the final product ensures that it aligns with quality management systems. Both Production and Research and Development play crucial roles in product development and manufacturing but do not have the final sign-off authority that Quality Assurance possesses before a product is available on the market.