What is the difference between raw data and supporting data in GLP?

• A. Raw data is collected directly from study operations according to the protocol and SOP instructions.
• B. Raw data are the summarized results used in reporting.
• C. Supporting data are identical to raw data.
• D. Supporting data are the final conclusions.

Answer: (A)

In GLP, the main idea is that raw data are the original measurements and observations recorded during the study, captured directly from study operations and following the protocol and SOP instructions. This ensures the data reflect what actually happened and can be reproduced or audited later. Supporting data, on the other hand, are the materials that document how those raw data were processed and interpreted—things like calculation sheets, data processing steps, instrument calibration records, method papers, and QA notes. They provide context and traceability for the results but are not the raw measurements themselves. That’s why the best answer states that raw data are collected directly from study operations according to the protocol and SOPs. The other ideas mix up the roles—summaries aren’t raw data, supporting data aren’t identical to raw data, and conclusions aren’t the same as supporting data.