Interim recommendations for deferral of donors at increased risk for HIV-1 Group O infection; guidance document; availability--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance document entitled "Interim Recommendations for Deferral of Donors at Increased Risk for HIV-1 Group O Infection," dated December 11, 1996. The guidance document, which discusses the appearance in 1996 of two cases of HIV-1 Group O infection in the United States, is intended to provide interim measures to reduce the risk of HIV-1 Group O transmission by blood and blood products pending the licensure of test kits specifically labeled for detection of antibodies to HIV-1 Group O viruses. The guidance document recommends adding three questions to screening questionnaires used to exclude donors at high risk of HIV-1 infection.     

Medical devices; hematology and pathology devices; classification of cord blood processing system and storage container. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying a cord blood processing system and storage container into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to this device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Cord Blood Processing System and Storage Container." FDA is classifying this device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of this device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of the guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device.     

Revised precautionary measures to reduce the possible transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) by blood and blood products; guidance document; availability--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance document entitled "Revised Precautionary Measures to Reduce the Possible Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) by Blood and Blood Products," dated December 11, 1996. The guidance document is intended to provide recommendations to the blood industry and may include information useful to other interested persons.     

Draft guidance for industry; exports and imports under the FDA Export Reform and Enhancement Act of 1996--FDA. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance document entitled, "FDA Draft Guidance for Industry on: Exports and Imports Under the FDA Export Reform and Enhancement Act of 1996." The draft guidance document addresses issues pertaining to the exportation of human drugs, animal drugs, biologics, food additives, and devices as well as the importation of components, parts, accessories, or other articles for incorporation or further processing into articles intended for export.     

Medical Devices; general and plastic surgery devices; classification of contact cooling system for aesthetic use. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the contact cooling system for aesthetic use into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff; Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Contact Cooling System for Aesthetic Use." The Agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device type.     

Medical devices; hematology and pathology devices: reclassification of automated blood cell separator device operating by centrifugal separation principle. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reclassifying from class III to class II the automated blood cell separator device operating by centrifugal separation principle and intended for the routine collection of blood and blood components. FDA is taking this action on its own initiative based on new information. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance document that will serve as the special controls for this device, as well as the special controls for the device with the same intended use but operating on a filtration separation principle.     

Medical devices; designation of special control for eight surgical suture devices. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule to amend the classification regulations for eight surgical suture devices previously reclassified into class II to specify a special control for those devices. The special control is an FDA guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Surgical Sutures; Guidance for Industry and FDA" that identifies performance, testing, and labeling recommendations for the devices. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of the guidance document that will serve as the special control. FDA is taking these actions on its own initiative because it believes they are necessary to provide reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of surgical suture devices. These actions are being taken under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act).     

Medical devices; clinical chemistry and clinical toxicology devices; instrumentation for clinical multiplex test systems. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying instrumentation for clinical multiplex test systems into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Instrumentation for Clinical Multiplex Test Systems." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is publishing a notice of availability of a guidance document that is the special control for this device.     

Medical devices; general and plastic surgery devices; classification of tissue adhesive with adjunct wound closure device intended for topical approximation of skin. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the tissue adhesive with adjunct wound closure device intended for topical approximation into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled ``Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff; Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Tissue Adhesive With Adjunct Wound Closure Device Intended for the Topical Approximation of Skin.' The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device type.     

Current good manufacturing practice and investigational new drugs intended for use in clinical trials. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for human drugs, including biological products, to exempt most phase 1 investigational drugs from complying with the regulatory CGMP requirements. FDA will continue to exercise oversight of the manufacture of these drugs under FDA's general statutory CGMP authority and through review of the investigational new drug applications (IND). In addition, elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance document entitled "Guidance for Industry: CGMP for Phase 1 Investigational Drugs" dated November 2007 (the companion guidance). This guidance document sets forth recommendations on approaches to compliance with statutory CGMP for the exempted phase 1 investigational drugs. FDA is taking this action to focus a manufacturer's effort on applying CGMP that is appropriate and meaningful for the manufacture of the earliest stage investigational drug products intended for use in phase 1 clinical trials while ensuring safety and quality. This action will also streamline and promote the drug development process.     

Medical devices; general hospital and personal use devices; classification of implantable radiofrequency transponder system for patient identification and health information. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the implantable radiofrequency transponder system for patient identification and health information into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Implantable Radiofrequency Transponder System for Patient Identification and Health Information." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is publishing a notice of availability of a guidance document that is the special control for this device.     

Revision of requirements applicable to albumin (human), plasma protein fraction (human), and immune globulin (human); companion document to direct final rule. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Proposed rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to amend the biologics regulations by removing, revising, or updating specific regulations applicable to blood derivative products to be more consistent with current practices and to remove unnecessary or outdated requirements. FDA is taking this action as part of the agency's "Blood Initiative" in which FDA is reviewing and revising, when appropriate, its regulations, policies, guidance, and procedures related to blood products, including blood derivatives. This proposed rule is a companion document to the direct final rule published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. FDA is taking this action because the proposed changes are noncontroversial and FDA anticipates that it will receive no significant adverse comment.     

Medical devices; immunology and microbiology devices; classification of quality control material for cystic fibrosis nucleic acid assays. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying quality control material for cystic fibrosis nucleic acid assays into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Quality Control Material for Cystic Fibrosis Nucleic Acid Assays." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of the guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device.     

Medical devices; immunology and microbiology devices; classification of gene expression profiling test system for breast cancer prognosis. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying gene expression profiling test systems for breast cancer prognosis into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Gene Expression Profiling Test System for Breast Cancer Prognosis." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of the guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device.     

Current good manufacturing practice for blood and blood components; notification of consignees and transfusion recipients receiving blood and blood components at increased risk of transmitting hepatitis C virus infection ("lookback"). Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring establishments collecting Whole Blood or blood components, including Source Plasma and Source Leukocytes, to establish, maintain, and follow an appropriate system for identifying blood and blood components previously donated by a donor who tests reactive for evidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on a subsequent donation identified either by current testing or after a review of historical testing records, or when the collecting establishment is made aware of other reliable test results or information indicating evidence of HCV infection. Such collections may be at increased risk of transmitting HCV infection. FDA is requiring collecting establishments to quarantine prior in-date blood and blood components from such a donor, to notify consignees of prior in-date blood and blood components from such a donor for quarantine purposes, and to perform further testing on the donor. FDA is also requiring consignees to notify transfusion recipients of blood and blood components from such a donor, as appropriate. In addition, FDA is revising the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) "lookback" requirements for greater consistency with the HCV "lookback" requirements, and extending the record retention period to 10 years. FDA is taking this action to help ensure the continued safety of the blood supply and to help ensure that information is provided to recipients of blood and blood components that may have been at increased risk of transmitting HIV or HCV infection. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance document entitled "Guidance for Industry: 'Lookback' for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV): Product Quarantine, Consignee Notification, Further Testing, Product Disposition, and Notification of Transfusion Recipients Based on Donor Test Results Indicating Infection with HCV' (the "lookback" guidance). We are also issuing this final rule in conjunction with a companion interim final rule published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.     

Medical devices; general and plastic surgery devices; classification of non-powered suction apparatus device intended for negative pressure wound therapy. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the non-powered suction apparatus device intended for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to the device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Non-Powered Suction Apparatus Device Intended for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy." The agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is publishing a notice of availability for the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Non-Powered Suction Apparatus Device Intended for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy."     

Medical devices: immunology and microbiology devices: classification of in vitro human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance genotype assay. Final rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying an in vitro human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance genotype assay into class II (special controls). The special control that will apply to this device is the guidance document entitled "Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: In Vitro HIV Drug Resistance Genotype Assay." FDA is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of this device. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, FDA is announcing the availability of the guidance document that will serve as the special control for this device.     

Year 2000 (Y2K) computer compliance guide; guidance for FDA personnel. Food and Drug Administration. Notice

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a new compliance policy guide (CPG) entitled "Year 2000 (Y2K) Computer Compliance" (section 160-800). This guidance document represents the agency's current thinking on the manufacturing and distribution of domestic and imported products regulated by FDA using computer systems that may not perform properly before, or during, the transition to the year 2000 (Y2K). The text of the CPG is included in this notice. This compliance guidance document is an update to the Compliance Policy Guides Manual (August 1996 edition). It is a new CPG, and it will be included in the next printing of the Compliance Policy Guides Manual. This CPG is intended for FDA personnel, and it is available electronically to the public.