Memorandum of understanding between the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing notice of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between FDA and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command. The purpose of the MOU is to define responsibilities during the research, development, and pre-marketing acquisition of medical material for military applications.     

Delegations of authority and organization; Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, and Center for Drug Evaluation and Research--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority relating to premarket approval of products that are or contain a biologic, a device, or a drug. The amendment grants directors, deputy directors, and certain other supervisory personnel in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) reciprocal premarket approval authority to approve such products.     

Memorandum of understanding between the Food and Drug Administration and the Defense Alliance for Advanced Medical Terminology--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing notice of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between FDA and the Defense Alliance for Advanced Medical Terminology (DAAMT). The purpose of the MOU is to enable government agencies to exchange information and jointly pursue research endeavors related to medical device safety and effectiveness.     

Memorandum of understanding between the Food and Drug Administration and the Indian Health Service--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing notice of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between FDA and the Indian Health Service (IHS). The purpose of the MOU is to develop a more cohesive relationship to mutually address American Indian and Alaska Native issues within the context of each organization's jurisdiction.     

Advisory committees; OTC Drugs Advisory Committee; establishment--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the establishment by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs of the OTC Drugs Advisory Committee in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is publishing a notice requesting nominations for membership on this committee. This document adds to the agency's list of standing advisory committees.     

Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997; list of documents issued by the Food and Drug Administration that apply to medical devices regulated by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publishing a list of documents issued in response to the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA), and clarifying their applicability to medical devices regulated by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). This notice is intended to inform the public of the availability of these documents, clarify their scope of applicability, and to provide instructions on ways to access them.     

Advisory committee; Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee; re-establishment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the re-establishment of the Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. This rule amends the current language for the Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee in the Agency's list of standing advisory committees in FDA's regulations.     

Delegations of authority and organization; National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority by adding new authorities delegated by the Assistant Secretary for Health to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (the Commissioner). The new authorities are under certain provisions of the Public Health Service Act (the PHS Act) and of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. The authorities added are being further redelegated, from the Commissioner to the Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), and the Associate Director for Policy Coordination and Public Affairs, CBER.     

Delegations of authority and organization; Center for Drug Evaluation and Research--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority relating to the approval of new drug applications (NDA's), abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA's), and their supplements to add the Deputy Director (Medical and Scientific Affairs), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), to the list of officials authorized to approve certain NDA's, ANDA's, and their supplements for drugs for human use. In addition, FDA is adding authority to approve applications submitted under section 505(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (505(b)(2) applications) to these officials. These authorities were given to FDA under section 505 of the act.     

Policy on 180-day marketing exclusivity for drugs marketed under abbreviated new drug applications; clarification--FDA. Clarification

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publishing this document to clarify the status of its practices governing 180 days of marketing exclusivity for generic drugs and the approval of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA's) subject to patent litigation. This document is being published due to recent court decisions interpreting provisions of the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (Pub. L. 98-417) (the 1984 amendments).     

Bar code label requirement for human drug products and biological products. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a new rule to require certain human drug and biological product labels to have bar codes. The bar code for human drug products and biological products (other than blood, blood components, and devices regulated by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research) must contain the National Drug Code (NDC) number in a linear bar code. The rule will help reduce the number of medication errors in hospitals and other health care settings by allowing health care professionals to use bar code scanning equipment to verify that the right drug (in the right dose and right route of administration) is being given to the right patient at the right time. The rule also requires the use of machine-readable information on blood and blood component container labels to help reduce medication errors.     

Exceptions or alternatives to labeling requirements for products held by the Strategic National Stockpile. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is adopting as a final rule, without change, the interim final rule that issued regulations permitting FDA Center Directors to grant exceptions or alternatives to certain regulatory labeling requirements applicable to human drugs, biological products, or medical devices that are or will be included in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). FDA is taking this action to complete the rulemaking initiated with the interim final rule.     

Revocation of Office of Generic Drug's interim policy statement on inactive ingredients. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is revoking an interim policy statement on inactive ingredients in parenteral, ophthalmic, otic, and topical generic drug products (Interim Inactive Ingredient Policy). These generic drug products are the subjects of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA's). The Interim Inactive Ingredient Policy was issued as a memorandum from the Acting Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's (CDER's) Office of Generic Drugs, FDA, to CDER's Associate Director for Science and Medical Affairs, FDA. FDA is taking this action because the Interim Inactive Ingredient Policy no longer represents current agency policy.     

Delegations of authority and organization; Center for Devices and Radiological Health--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority to reflect a new delegation that authorizes the Division Directors, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) to approve, disapprove, or withdraw approval of product development protocols and applications for premarket approval for medical devices.     

Delegations of authority and organization; new drug applications--Food and Drug Administration. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority regarding approval of new drug applications (NDA's) by redelegating to the Directors of Divisions conducting new drug evaluations authority to approve an additional class of NDA's to expedite the approval process. Published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register is a notice reorganizing the Bureau of Drugs and Bureau of Biologics into the National Center for Drugs and Biologics. This document also updates organizational references in accordance with the reorganization.     

Radiological health; evaluation of radiation exposure in diagnostic radiology examinations; availability of draft recommendations--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces the availability for public review and comment of draft recommendations on evaluation of radiation exposure in diagnostic radiology examinations, prepared by FDA's National Center for Devices and Radiological Health (NCDRH). In addition to the draft recommendations, FDA is making available background information, rationale, and NCDRH's response to comments that were received on a notice of inquiry regarding the need for and content of such recommendations. FDA is also encouraging private groups and individuals to join in the research efforts needed to develop further technique/exposure guidance and suggests a number of principles to be followed in these efforts so all interested parties may achieve consistent and useful results. Final recommendations, when developed, will be published as a technical report in NCDRH's radiation recommendation series.     

Delegations of authority and organization; Center for Devices and Radiological Health--FDA. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority relating to general redelegations of authority from the Associate Commissioner of Regulatory Affairs to certain FDA officials in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The redelegation provides these officials with authority to grant or deny certain citizen petitions for exemption or variance from medical device tracking requirements. This action is being taken to facilitate expeditious handling of citizen petitions. FDA is also issuing a conforming amendment to the medical device tracking regulations to make the regulations consistent.     

Delegations of authority and organization; Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the regulations for delegations of authority to reflect redelegations to other officials within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) pertaining to: Certifying true copies and using the Department seal, disclosing official records, issuing reports of minor violations, and medical device reporting procedures. This amendment is intended to reflect those redelegations.     

Medtronic, Inc.; premarket approval of the Interstim Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS) System--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing its approval of the application by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, for premarket approval, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act), of the Interstim Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS) System. After reviewing the recommendation of the Gastroenterology and Urology Devices Panel, FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) notified the applicant, by letter of September 29, 1997, of the approval of the application.