82_FR_14371 82 FR 14319 - Clarification of When Products Made or Derived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding “Intended Uses”; Further Delayed Effective Date; Request for Comments

82 FR 14319 - Clarification of When Products Made or Derived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding “Intended Uses”; Further Delayed Effective Date; Request for Comments

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 52 (March 20, 2017)

Page Range14319-14324
FR Document2017-05526

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is further delaying the effective date of a final rule published in the Federal Register of January 9, 2017. In the Federal Register of February 7, 2017, we delayed until March 21, 2017, the effective date of the final rule. This action further delays the effective date of the rule until March 19, 2018. FDA has received a petition from affected parties which raises questions about the amendments to the regulations regarding ``intended uses'' and requests that FDA reconsider these amendments. FDA is further delaying the effective date to invite public comment on the important substantive issues raised by the petition and to allow additional time to fully evaluate these issues and any other issues raised in response to this request for comments. FDA is seeking input on some specific questions, and is also interested in any other pertinent information or comments stakeholders would like to provide regarding any aspect of the final rule, or with respect to issues relating to ``intended uses'' generally.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 52 (Monday, March 20, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 52 (Monday, March 20, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14319-14324]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05526]



========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 14319]]



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

21 CFR Parts 201, 801 and 1100

[Docket No. FDA-2015-N-2002]
RIN 0910-AH19


Clarification of When Products Made or Derived From Tobacco Are 
Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; Amendments to 
Regulations Regarding ``Intended Uses''; Further Delayed Effective 
Date; Request for Comments

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Final rule; further delay of effective date; request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is further 
delaying the effective date of a final rule published in the Federal 
Register of January 9, 2017. In the Federal Register of February 7, 
2017, we delayed until March 21, 2017, the effective date of the final 
rule. This action further delays the effective date of the rule until 
March 19, 2018. FDA has received a petition from affected parties which 
raises questions about the amendments to the regulations regarding 
``intended uses'' and requests that FDA reconsider these amendments. 
FDA is further delaying the effective date to invite public comment on 
the important substantive issues raised by the petition and to allow 
additional time to fully evaluate these issues and any other issues 
raised in response to this request for comments. FDA is seeking input 
on some specific questions, and is also interested in any other 
pertinent information or comments stakeholders would like to provide 
regarding any aspect of the final rule, or with respect to issues 
relating to ``intended uses'' generally.

DATES: Effective date: The effective date for the rule amending 21 CFR 
chapter 1 published at 82 FR 2193 on January 9, 2017, delayed at 82 FR 
9501 on February 7, 2017, is further delayed until March 19, 2018.
    Comment date: Submit either electronic or written comments by May 
19, 2017. For additional information on the comment date, see section 
III in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov 
will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be 
made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment 
does not include any confidential information that you or a third party 
may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone 
else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, 
such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your 
name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in 
the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
     If you want to submit a comment with confidential 
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, 
submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner 
detailed (see ``Written/Paper Submissions'' and ``Instructions'').

Written/Paper Submissions

    Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
     Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper 
submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Division of 
Dockets Management, FDA will post your comment, as well as any 
attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, 
as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ``Instructions.''
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. 
FDA-2015-N-2002 for ``Clarification of When Products Made or Derived 
From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination Products; 
Amendments to Regulations Regarding `Intended Uses'; Delayed Effective 
Date; Request for Comments.'' Received comments, those filed in a 
timely manner (see DATES), will be placed in the docket and, except for 
those submitted as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly viewable at 
https://www.regulations.gov or at the Division of Dockets Management 
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
     Confidential Submissions--To submit a comment with 
confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly 
available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You 
should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information 
you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states 
``THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.'' The Agency will 
review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in 
its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the 
claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be 
available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. 
Submit both copies to the Division of Dockets Management. If you do not 
wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, 
you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body 
of your comments and you must identify this information as 
``confidential.'' Any information marked as ``confidential'' will not 
be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other 
applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of 
comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or 
access the information at: https://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in 
the heading of this document, into the

[[Page 14320]]

``Search'' box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of 
Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Berlin, Office of Policy, Food 
and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 32, Rm. 4238, 
Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-8828.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In the Federal Register of September 25, 2015 (80 FR 57756), FDA 
issued a proposed rule entitled ``Clarification of When Products Made 
or Derived From Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or Combination 
Products; Amendments to Regulations Regarding `Intended Uses.' '' This 
notice of proposed rulemaking proposed a new regulation (proposed 21 
CFR 1100.5) to describe the circumstances in which a product made or 
derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption will be 
subject to regulation as a drug, device, or a combination product under 
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act). The proposed 
rule also proposed certain changes to FDA's existing regulations 
describing the types of evidence that may be considered in determining 
a medical product's intended uses (see 21 CFR 201.128 (drugs) and 21 
CFR 801.4 (devices)). These amendments were intended to clarify FDA's 
existing interpretation and application of these regulations (see 80 FR 
57756 at 57761). Specifically, the amendments were intended to clarify 
that FDA would not regard a firm as intending an unapproved new use for 
an approved or cleared drug or device based solely on that firm's 
knowledge that its product was being prescribed or used by doctors for 
such use (see 80 FR 57756 at 57761). FDA proposed to delete the last 
sentence of the intended use regulations to provide this clarification, 
in addition to some other changes.
    The proposed amendments to the existing intended use regulations 
were not intended to reflect a change in FDA's approach regarding 
evidence of intended use for drugs and devices: FDA's longstanding 
position is that, in determining a product's intended use, FDA may look 
to any relevant source of evidence (see 80 FR 57756 at 57757) (the 
product's labeling, promotional claims, and advertising, oral or 
written statements by a manufacturer or its representatives, 
circumstances surrounding the distribution or sale of a product, and 
other relevant evidence).
    In the Federal Register of January 9, 2017, we published final 
regulations adding new 1100.5 to volume 21 of the CFR and amending the 
intended use regulations found at 201.128 and 801.4. The provisions in 
the final rule amending the intended use regulations were modified from 
the proposed rule because of comments we received that suggested to us 
that the proposed changes might not provide adequate clarity to 
manufacturers (see 82 FR 2193 at 2207). Some comments appeared to 
misunderstand the limited scope of what FDA intended by the proposal, 
interpreting the proposal as signifying that FDA intended to eliminate 
manufacturer knowledge altogether as a source of evidence of intended 
use (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206). In addition, some comments requested that 
FDA narrow the scope of evidence relevant to determining intended use 
in ways inconsistent with FDA's longstanding position--for example, by 
removing manufacturer knowledge entirely from the types of evidence 
that may be considered in determining a product's intended use or by 
limiting evidence of intended use to a manufacturer's promotional 
claims (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206-2208)--further indicating potential 
misunderstanding of, and a lack of clarity with respect to, the 
proposed rule.
    In issuing the amendments to the intended use regulations in the 
final rule, FDA's goal remained the same as it had intended in the 
proposed rule: To clarify that FDA would not regard a firm as intending 
an unapproved new use for an approved or cleared drug or device based 
solely on that firm's knowledge that its product was being prescribed 
or used by healthcare providers for such use (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206-
07). Because of the comments described above, FDA decided that its 
clarification goals would be better achieved by amending the last 
sentence of each intended use regulation, rather than by deleting the 
sentences, and we revised the regulations accordingly (see 82 FR 2193 
at 2206). The revised language was intended to achieve the goal 
described in the proposed rule, by amending the last sentence so that 
it no longer suggests that a manufacturer's mere knowledge that its 
approved or cleared product was being prescribed or used for an 
unapproved use would, on its own, be sufficient to establish a new 
intended use (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206). The revised sentence was also 
intended to embody FDA's longstanding position, discussed in the 
preamble to the proposed rule, that intended use can be based on ``any 
relevant source of evidence,'' including a variety of direct and 
circumstantial evidence (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206). The text of the final 
rule used the phrase ``the totality of evidence'' to accomplish these 
goals (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ In the final rule, FDA also stated that the amendments were 
not intended to change or override FDA's existing guidance and 
ongoing proceedings regarding manufacturer communications regarding 
unapproved uses of approved or cleared products (see 82 FR 2193 at 
2209-2210).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The rule was published with an effective date of February 8, 2017. 
On February 7, 2017, in accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 
2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled 
``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' FDA delayed the effective date of 
the rule until March 21, 2017 (82 FR 9501).

II. Rationale and Good Cause for a Further Delay of the Effective Date 
of the Final Rule

    FDA has decided to delay the effective date for the final rule from 
March 21, 2017, until March 19, 2018. To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 553 
applies to the delay of effective date from March 21, 2017, until March 
19, 2018, the action is exempt from notice and comment because it 
constitutes a rule of procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).
    Alternatively, FDA's implementation of this action without 
opportunity for public comment, effective immediately upon publication 
in the Federal Register, is based on the good cause exceptions in 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3). Good cause exists to delay the prior rule 
without comment because the delay will ensure that the public is given 
an opportunity to comment on the final language that FDA included in 
the underlying final rule. A petition raising concerns with the final 
language was submitted by various industry organizations on February 8, 
2017 (``petition'' and ``petitioners'').\2\ The petition requests that 
FDA reconsider the amendments to the ``intended use'' regulations and 
promulgate a new final rule that, with respect to the intended use 
regulations at Sec. Sec.  201.128 and 801.4, reverts to the language of 
the September 25, 2015, proposed rule. The petition also requests that 
FDA indefinitely stay the rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ See February 8, 2017 petition submitted by Ropes & Gray and 
Sidley Austin LLP on behalf of the Medical Information Working 
Group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and 
the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, available in Docket Nos. 
FDA-2011-P-0512, FDA-2013-P-1079, FDA-2015-N-2002, and FDA-2016-N-
1149 at https://www.regulations.gov.
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    Petitioners ask that the final rule be stayed indefinitely and 
reconsidered for

[[Page 14321]]

two independent reasons (petition at pg. 10). First, they argue that 
the final rule was promulgated in violation of the fair notice 
requirement under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (petition at 
pgs. 10-13). Second, they argue that the ``totality of the evidence'' 
language in the final rule is a new and unsupported legal standard 
(petition at pgs. 10, 13-21). More specifically, the petitioners 
contend that the revisions to the intended use regulations run contrary 
to ``the settled interpretation'' of intended use (petition at pg. 2). 
They describe that settled interpretation in various ways, including as 
limiting evidence of intended use to ``manufacturer's claims,'' ``any 
relevant source of claims,'' ``labels on the drug or the `labeling','' 
and ``objective evidence in promoting, distributing, and selling the 
[medical product]'' (petition at pgs. 2, 16, 17, 19) (emphases in 
original). Petitioners also state that, under existing law, a 
``manufacturer must make an explicit promotional claim before FDA may 
find a new intended use'' (petition at pg. 19) (emphasis in original), 
and there is an exception for relying on circumstantial evidence ``only 
when its probative value is sufficient to negate any explanation other 
than the intended use of the product as a drug or device'' (petition at 
pg. 15) (emphasis in original). The petitioners interpret the proposed 
rule as acknowledging ``key limits'' on the scope of intended use 
(petition at pg. 7), and argue that under the proposed rule, intended 
use would have turned solely on the manufacturer's promotional 
statements (petition at pg. 11). The petitioners contend that the final 
rule unexpectedly expanded the understanding of intended use, and that 
adding the new final sentence referencing the ``totality of the 
evidence'' was a reversal of the proposed rule that violates the APA's 
notice-and-comment provisions (petition at pg. 11). Petitioners express 
the view that the wording used in the proposed rule would have helped 
to address substantial concerns they have regarding FDA's intended use 
definitions, while the final rule exacerbates those concerns (petition 
at pg. 11). These concerns include constitutional concerns (petition at 
pg. 19-21), and public health concerns related to chilling valuable 
scientific speech (petition at pg. 21).
    These issues raised by the petition and similar concerns provide 
good cause to extend to the effective date of the rule without comment 
on the extension, so as to receive full public comments on these 
underlying issues and afford us enough time to collect and consider 
those comments.\3\ Moreover, to the extent that petitioners (and/or 
others) misunderstood FDA's intent in proposing the revisions to the 
intended use provisions, the new comment period should provide 
additional opportunity to comment on FDA's approach, including a fair 
opportunity to comment on the language chosen in the final rule. This 
action should not be construed to suggest that FDA has made any 
decisions about the substantive arguments made in the petition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ We also note that a related issue, manufacturers' 
communications about unapproved uses of approved/cleared medical 
products, is currently the subject of a public docket with an open 
comment period; extending the effective date and taking comment on 
the issues raised with respect to this final rule provides FDA with 
the opportunity for contemporaneous consideration and resolution of 
these related issues.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Seeking public comment on this delay of the effective date is 
impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest. The 
delay in the effective date until March 19, 2018, is necessary to give 
the public a fair opportunity to fully comment, and FDA the opportunity 
to further evaluate and consider the issues raised by the petition in 
addition to any other pertinent information or comments stakeholders 
submit to this docket regarding the final rule. Given the imminence of 
the effective date, seeking prior public comment on this delay would 
have been impracticable, as well as contrary to the public interest in 
the orderly issuance and implementation of regulations. However, in 
accordance with 21 CFR 10.40(e)(1), FDA will also accept comments for a 
period of 60 days on whether this rule delaying the effective date 
should be modified or revoked.
    This action is being taken under FDA's authority under 21 CFR 
10.35(a). The Commissioner of Food and Drugs finds that this delay of 
the effective date is in the public interest.

III. Issues for Comment and Consideration

    In addition to other comments, FDA is soliciting comments from 
interested persons in particular on the issues raised in the petition. 
For ease of reference, these comments should be submitted to this 
existing public docket, FDA-2015-N-2002. We request that any additional 
data and information be submitted to FDA by May 19, 2017 to allow us to 
fully consider it. Late, untimely filed comments will not be 
considered. Electronic comments must be submitted on or before May 19, 
2017. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing system will 
accept comments until midnight Eastern Time at the end of May 19, 2017. 
Comments received by mail/hand delivery/courier (for written/paper 
submissions) will be considered timely if they are postmarked or the 
delivery service acceptance receipt is on or before that date.
    We are interested in comments on the petitioners' views on the 
proper interpretation of ``intended use.'' FDA solicits comment on the 
appropriateness of the various limitations suggested by petitioners, 
including limiting the evidence that may be considered to establish a 
product's intended use to the manufacturer's or distributor's 
promotional statements; requiring that a manufacturer make an explicit 
promotional claim before FDA may find a new intended use; and allowing 
an exception for relying on circumstantial evidence ``only when its 
probative value is sufficient to negate any explanation other than the 
intended use of the product as a drug or device'' (petition at pgs. 11, 
19, 15) (emphasis in original). We are also interested in comments on 
the public health implications of limiting evidence of intended use as 
suggested by the petitioners, including with respect to the exchange of 
valuable scientific speech, or otherwise.
    As explained in the preambles to the proposed and final rules: In 
determining intended use, the consideration of evidence such as the 
circumstances surrounding the distribution of a product, the known 
effects of a product or substance, and/or the context in which the 
product is sold often ensures that firms that attempt to evade FDA's 
medical product regulation by making no claims, or at least no explicit 
claims, about their products can be held accountable (see 80 FR 57756 
at 57757; 82 FR 2193 at 2196). A few examples of situations in which 
evidence of intended use has been derived from sources other than 
explicit promotional claims are:
     Persons distributing substances which are known to be used 
recreationally to get high, such as Dextromethorphan (the active 
ingredient in some cough suppressants) and Nitrous Oxide (which is a 
prescription drug). See, e.g., United States v. Johnson, 471 F.3d 764, 
765 (7th Cir. 2006); United States v. Schraud, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 
89231, 3-6 (E.D. Mo. Dec. 4, 2007); United States v. Travia, 180 F. 
Supp. 2d 115, 119 (D.D.C. 2001); United States v. LA Rush, 2:13-cr-
00249, First Superseding Information (C.D. Cal. April 3, 2014).
     Persons distributing synthetic drugs, such as synthetic 
marijuana, labeled as incense, potpourri, or bath

[[Page 14322]]

salts, and/or bearing the statement ``not for human consumption.'' See, 
e.g., United States v. Carlson, 810 F.3d 544 (8th Cir. 2016), cert. 
denied, 137 S. Ct. 102, 291, 292 (2016); United States v. Carlson, 12-
cr-00305-DSD-LIB, Amended Superseding Indictment (D. Minn. Sept. 11, 
2013) and Court's Instructions to the Jury, (D. Minn. Oct. 8, 2013); 
United States v. Bowen, 14-cr-00169-PAB, Indictment (D. Colo. May 5, 
2014) and Rule 11(c)(1)(A) and (B) Plea Agreement and Statement of 
Facts Relevant to Sentencing (D. Colo. Jan. 29, 2015).
     Persons distributing imitation drugs claimed to be incense 
or dietary supplements, such as imitation cocaine or imitation Ecstasy. 
See, e.g., United States v. Storage Spaces Designated Nos. ``8'' & 
``49'', 777 F.2d 1363, 1366 (9th Cir. 1985); United States v. 
Undetermined Quantities of . . . Street Drug Alternatives, 145 F. Supp. 
2d 692 (D. Md. 2001).
     Persons distributing products containing the active 
ingredients in prescription drugs, such as VIAGRA, CIALIS, LEVITRA, or 
BOTOX, as less expensive alternatives to the approved products, with 
labeling that states that they are ``all natural'' or ``herbal'' 
supplements or ``for research only.'' See, e.g., United States v. 
Dessart, 823 F.3d 395 (7th Cir. 2016); United States v. Zeyid, 1:14-cr-
0197, First Superseding Indictment (N.D. Ga. June 24, 2014) (see also 
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-man-convicted-illegally-importing-and-distributing-male-enhancement-products); United States v. 
Livdahl, 459 F. Supp. 2d 1255, 1260 (S.D. Fla. 2005).
     Other instances where a person's claims about the intended 
use of a product are belied by the person's activities or non-
promotional statements or by circumstantial evidence. See, e.g., United 
States v. An Article of Device Toftness Radiation Detector, 731 F.2d 
1253, 1257 (7th Cir. 1984); United States v. 789 Cases of Latex 
Surgeons' Gloves, 799 F. Supp. 1275, 1294-1295 (D.P.R. 1992).
    In these situations, the evidence relied on has included general 
knowledge of actual use by customers to get high or to achieve some 
other mind-altering effect; the known effects of a product or 
substance; implied claims from using names that sound similar to the 
names of controlled substances; the circumstances surrounding the sale 
(e.g., a rock concert venue; receiving the product in bulk and 
repackaging into smaller plastic bags; the use of private email 
addresses; the absence of labeling); shipping orders, other 
correspondence, and memoranda relating to marketing and distribution; 
statements made in training sessions; and admissions.
    Evidence other than promotional claims has also been used to 
establish that products offered for import into the United States 
without labeling or other claims that identify them as a drug or device 
are in fact intended for use as a drug or device, and are therefore 
subject to refusal if they fail to meet certain requirements for 
importing medical products (see 21 U.S.C. 381(a)(3)). For example, the 
defendants in United States v. Zeyid, 1:14-cr-0197, First Superseding 
Indictment (N.D. Ga. June 24, 2014) (see also https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-man-convicted-illegally-importing-and-distributing-male-enhancement-products), imported products containing 
active ingredients that were the same as those used in prescription 
drugs but that were labeled as ``tea,'' ``coffee,'' and ``beauty 
products.'' Another example of a setting where FDA commonly relies on 
non-promotional information in determining intended use is when 
evaluating whether research studies involving human subjects must be 
conducted under an investigational new drug application or 
investigational device exemption (see 21 CFR parts 312 and 812). For 
example, FDA commonly evaluates materials such as research protocols in 
determining whether studies of products that are marketed as dietary 
supplements, conventional foods, or cosmetics are evaluating such 
products for use as drugs and are therefore subject to the 
investigational new drug application requirements under part 312. Non-
promotional information regarding the purpose of the research is 
relevant to establishing whether the product should be considered a 
drug for the purpose of the investigation.
    With respect to the petitioners' suggested approaches to: (1) Limit 
the evidence relevant to determining the intended use of a medical 
product to promotional claims; (2) require that a manufacturer make an 
explicit promotional claim before FDA may find a new intended use; and/
or (3) allow an exception for relying on circumstantial evidence ``only 
when its probative value is sufficient to negate any explanation other 
than the intended use of the product as a drug or device,'' and in 
light of the background described above regarding situations in which 
evidence of intended use has been derived from sources other than 
explicit promotional claims, we are particularly interested in comments 
on the following questions:
    1. How should FDA consider situations such as those outlined above 
where companies and individuals distribute medical products and/or seek 
to import medical products without explicit promotional claims as we 
evaluate whether to adopt any of petitioners' suggested approaches to 
determining intended use?
    2. What are the potential public health consequences, positive and 
negative, that should be considered in evaluating whether to adopt any 
of petitioners' suggested approaches to determining intended use? What 
other policy considerations are relevant when assessing approaches to 
intended use?
    3. To the extent that your comment cites to First Amendment 
considerations as the legal rationale underlying your recommendations, 
how (if at all) do those considerations apply to the use of non-speech 
evidence in determining intended use, such as the circumstances 
surrounding the distribution of a product or the context in which it is 
sold?
    4. In light of the petitioners' concerns about the language in the 
final rule, do stakeholders believe there is a distinction between 
considering ``any relevant source of evidence'' and ``the totality of 
evidence''? Do stakeholders have suggestions about what wording 
provides the most clarity to regulated entities?
    These questions are not meant to be exhaustive; we are also 
interested in any other pertinent comments or information stakeholders 
would like to share regarding the final rule, including whether there 
are other approaches to ``intended use'' that FDA should consider. 
Please note that, as mentioned in the final rule (see 82 FR 2193 at 
2209), FDA is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of its 
regulations and policies governing firms' communications about 
unapproved uses of approved/cleared medical products, and has 
established a separate public docket to receive written comments on 
that topic (see 81 FR 60299, September 1, 2016, available at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/MeetingsConferencesWorkshops/ucm489499.htm). As 
part of that separate proceeding, FDA is seeking input on a number of 
questions (see 81 FR 60299 at 60302-60303). To the extent the 
commenters wish to provide feedback on those questions rather than on 
the issues addressed here, that feedback should be submitted to that 
separate docket, which is open until April 19, 2017; however, we 
encourage commenters to submit to this docket their feedback on issues 
addressed in the separate docket to the extent that the feedback may 
also be pertinent to the final rule (including the preamble),

[[Page 14323]]

``intended use,'' and/or the specific issues raised herein.

IV. Economic Analysis of Impacts

    We have examined the impacts of the final rule under Executive 
Order 12866, Executive Order 13563, Executive Order 13771, the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), and the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4). Executive Orders 12866 and 
13563 direct us to assess all costs and benefits of available 
regulatory alternatives and, when regulation is necessary, to select 
regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential 
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other 
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity). We have developed a 
comprehensive Economic Analysis of Impacts that assesses the impacts of 
the final rule. We believe that this final rule is not a significant 
regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866 and Executive 
Order 13771.
    The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires us to analyze regulatory 
options that would minimize any significant impact of a rule on small 
entities. Because the clarifications in this final rule will not 
significantly increase costs on manufacturers of products made or 
derived from tobacco, we certify that the final rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (section 202(a)) requires 
us to prepare a written statement, which includes an assessment of 
anticipated costs and benefits, before issuing ``any rule that includes 
any Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by State, local, 
and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of 
$100,000,000 or more (adjusted annually for inflation) in any one 
year.'' The current threshold after adjustment for inflation is $146 
million, using the most current (2015) Implicit Price Deflator for the 
Gross Domestic Product. This final rule will not result in an 
expenditure in any year that meets or exceeds this amount.
    We will delay the effective date of the final rule by 1 year. As 
shown in table 1, this action will generate a cost savings of $112,865 
in one-time costs with a 7 percent discount rate and a cost savings of 
$50,249 in one-time costs with a 3 percent discount rate. Annualized 
over 10 years, a 1-year delay will save $16,069 with a 7 percent 
discount rate and $5,891 with a 3 percent discount rate. We expect that 
the final rule will reduce regulatory ambiguity and uncertainty, and, 
thus, reduce the regulatory and compliance burdens associated with such 
ambiguity. Although we did not quantify these benefits, we anticipate 
that delaying the effective date will reduce the benefits by a similar 
magnitude as the cost savings. For any final rule issued during or 
after the 1-year delay, we will analyze the impacts of such a rule.

        Table 1--Total One-Time Cost Savings From a 1-Year Delay of the Effective Date of the Final Rule
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annualized                      Annualized
                                                    Total  one-      one-time       Total  one-      one-time
                                                   time costs at  costs over  10  time  costs at  costs over  10
                                                     7 percent      years at  7      3 percent      years at  3
                                                                      percent                         percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Costs with Compliance Date Unchanged............      $1,725,225        $245,633      $1,725,225        $202,249
Costs with Compliance Date Delayed 1-Year.......       1,612,360         229,564       1,674,976         196,358
Cost Savings....................................       (112,865)        (16,069)        (50,249)         (5,891)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 2 shows the revised estimate of costs and benefits with a 1-
year delay of the effective date.

                                  Table 2--Economic Data With 1-Year Effective Date Delay: Costs and Benefits Statement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                               Units
                                              Primary                                    ------------------------------------------------
                Category                     estimate      Low estimate    High estimate                   Discount rate                       Notes
                                                                                           Year dollars         (%)       Period covered
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Benefits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized Monetized $millions/year.....  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               7  ..............
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               3  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized Quantified...................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               7  ..............
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               3  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualitative.............................            Reduce regulatory ambiguity           ..............  ..............  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized Monetized $millions/year.....          $0.230          $0.118          $0.341            2014               7        10 years
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   0.196           0.101           0.292            2014               3        10 years
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annualized Quantified...................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               7  ..............
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               3  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualitative.............................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 14324]]

 
                                                                        Transfers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Annualized Monetized $millions/   ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               7  ..............
 year...................................
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               3  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From/To.................................                       From:
                                                                To:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Annualized Monetized $millions/     ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               7  ..............
 year...................................
                                         ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............               3  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From/To.................................                       From:
                                                                To:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effects
State, Local or Tribal Government: No Effect
Small Business: No effect
Wages: No estimated effect
Growth: No estimated effect
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The full analysis of economic impacts is available in the docket 
for this final rule (FDA-2015-N-2002) and at http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/EconomicAnalyses/default.htm.

V. References

    The following references are on display in the Division of Dockets 
Management (see ADDRESSES) and are available for viewing by interested 
persons between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; they are also 
available electronically at https://www.regulations.gov. FDA has 
verified the Web site addresses, as of the date this document publishes 
in the Federal Register, but Web sites are subject to change over time.

    1. United States v. LA Rush, 2:13-cr-00249, First Superseding 
Information (C.D. Cal. April 3, 2014).
    2. United States v. Carlson, 12-cr-00305-DSD-LIB, Amended 
Superseding Indictment (D. Minn. Sept. 11, 2013).
    3. United States v. Carlson, 12-cr-00305-DSD-LIB, Court's 
Instructions to the Jury, (D. Minn. Oct. 8, 2013).
    4. United States v. Bowen, 14-cr-00169-PAB, Indictment (D. Colo. 
May 5, 2014).
    5. United States v. Bowen, 14-cr-00169-PAB, Rule 11(c)(1)(A) and 
(B) Plea Agreement and Statement of Facts Relevant to Sentencing (D. 
Colo. Jan. 29, 2015).
    6. United States v. Zeyid, 1:14-cr-0197, First Superseding 
Indictment (N.D. Ga. June 24, 2014).
    7. U.S. Department of Justice, ``Atlanta Man Convicted of 
Illegally Importing and Distributing Male Enhancement Products from 
China'', Feb. 16, 2017, available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-man-convicted-illegally-importing-and-distributing-male-enhancement-products.

    Dated: March 16, 2017.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-05526 Filed 3-17-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P



                                                                                                                                                                                            14319

                                             Rules and Regulations                                                                                         Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                           Vol. 82, No. 52

                                                                                                                                                           Monday, March 20, 2017



                                             This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    DATES:  Effective date: The effective date               Instructions: All submissions received
                                             contains regulatory documents having general            for the rule amending 21 CFR chapter 1                must include the Docket No. FDA–
                                             applicability and legal effect, most of which           published at 82 FR 2193 on January 9,                 2015–N–2002 for ‘‘Clarification of When
                                             are keyed to and codified in the Code of                2017, delayed at 82 FR 9501 on                        Products Made or Derived From
                                             Federal Regulations, which is published under           February 7, 2017, is further delayed                  Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs,
                                             50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
                                                                                                     until March 19, 2018.                                 Devices, or Combination Products;
                                             The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by                Comment date: Submit either                         Amendments to Regulations Regarding
                                             the Superintendent of Documents.                        electronic or written comments by May                 ‘Intended Uses’; Delayed Effective Date;
                                                                                                     19, 2017. For additional information on               Request for Comments.’’ Received
                                                                                                     the comment date, see section III in                  comments, those filed in a timely
                                             DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.                            manner (see DATES), will be placed in
                                             HUMAN SERVICES                                          ADDRESSES: You may submit comments                    the docket and, except for those
                                                                                                     as follows:                                           submitted as ‘‘Confidential
                                             Food and Drug Administration                                                                                  Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at
                                                                                                     Electronic Submissions                                https://www.regulations.gov or at the
                                             21 CFR Parts 201, 801 and 1100                                                                                Division of Dockets Management
                                                                                                       Submit electronic comments in the
                                                                                                     following way:                                        between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
                                             [Docket No. FDA–2015–N–2002]
                                                                                                       • Federal eRulemaking Portal:                       through Friday.
                                                                                                     https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the                  • Confidential Submissions—To
                                             RIN 0910–AH19                                                                                                 submit a comment with confidential
                                                                                                     instructions for submitting comments.
                                                                                                     Comments submitted electronically,                    information that you do not wish to be
                                             Clarification of When Products Made
                                                                                                     including attachments, to https://                    made publicly available, submit your
                                             or Derived From Tobacco Are
                                                                                                     www.regulations.gov will be posted to                 comments only as a written/paper
                                             Regulated as Drugs, Devices, or
                                                                                                     the docket unchanged. Because your                    submission. You should submit two
                                             Combination Products; Amendments
                                                                                                     comment will be made public, you are                  copies total. One copy will include the
                                             to Regulations Regarding ‘‘Intended
                                                                                                     solely responsible for ensuring that your             information you claim to be confidential
                                             Uses’’; Further Delayed Effective Date;
                                                                                                     comment does not include any                          with a heading or cover note that states
                                             Request for Comments
                                                                                                     confidential information that you or a                ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
                                             AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,                third party may not wish to be posted,                CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ The
                                             HHS.                                                    such as medical information, your or                  Agency will review this copy, including
                                             ACTION:  Final rule; further delay of                   anyone else’s Social Security number, or              the claimed confidential information, in
                                             effective date; request for comments.                   confidential business information, such               its consideration of comments. The
                                                                                                     as a manufacturing process. Please note               second copy, which will have the
                                             SUMMARY:    The Food and Drug                           that if you include your name, contact                claimed confidential information
                                             Administration (FDA or we) is further                   information, or other information that                redacted/blacked out, will be available
                                             delaying the effective date of a final rule             identifies you in the body of your                    for public viewing and posted on
                                             published in the Federal Register of                    comments, that information will be                    https://www.regulations.gov. Submit
                                             January 9, 2017. In the Federal Register                posted on https://www.regulations.gov.                both copies to the Division of Dockets
                                             of February 7, 2017, we delayed until                     • If you want to submit a comment                   Management. If you do not wish your
                                             March 21, 2017, the effective date of the               with confidential information that you                name and contact information to be
                                             final rule. This action further delays the              do not wish to be made available to the               made publicly available, you can
                                             effective date of the rule until March 19,              public, submit the comment as a                       provide this information on the cover
                                             2018. FDA has received a petition from                  written/paper submission and in the                   sheet and not in the body of your
                                             affected parties which raises questions                 manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper                  comments and you must identify this
                                             about the amendments to the                             Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).                  information as ‘‘confidential.’’ Any
                                             regulations regarding ‘‘intended uses’’                                                                       information marked as ‘‘confidential’’
                                             and requests that FDA reconsider these                  Written/Paper Submissions                             will not be disclosed except in
                                             amendments. FDA is further delaying                        Submit written/paper submissions as                accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other
                                             the effective date to invite public                     follows:                                              applicable disclosure law. For more
                                             comment on the important substantive                       • Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for                  information about FDA’s posting of
                                             issues raised by the petition and to                    written/paper submissions): Division of               comments to public dockets, see 80 FR
                                             allow additional time to fully evaluate                 Dockets Management (HFA–305), Food                    56469, September 18, 2015, or access
                                             these issues and any other issues raised                and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers                 the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/
                                             in response to this request for                         Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.                  fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-
                                             comments. FDA is seeking input on                          • For written/paper comments                       23389.pdf.
                                             some specific questions, and is also                    submitted to the Division of Dockets                     Docket: For access to the docket to
nlaroche on DSK30NT082PROD with RULES




                                             interested in any other pertinent                       Management, FDA will post your                        read background documents or the
                                             information or comments stakeholders                    comment, as well as any attachments,                  electronic and written/paper comments
                                             would like to provide regarding any                     except for information submitted,                     received, go to https://
                                             aspect of the final rule, or with respect               marked and identified, as confidential,               www.regulations.gov and insert the
                                             to issues relating to ‘‘intended uses’’                 if submitted as detailed in                           docket number, found in brackets in the
                                             generally.                                              ‘‘Instructions.’’                                     heading of this document, into the


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                                             14320              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             ‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts                      In the Federal Register of January 9,              evidence,’’ including a variety of direct
                                             and/or go to the Division of Dockets                    2017, we published final regulations                  and circumstantial evidence (see 82 FR
                                             Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm.                      adding new 1100.5 to volume 21 of the                 2193 at 2206). The text of the final rule
                                             1061, Rockville, MD 20852.                              CFR and amending the intended use                     used the phrase ‘‘the totality of
                                             FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                     regulations found at 201.128 and 801.4.               evidence’’ to accomplish these goals
                                             Robert Berlin, Office of Policy, Food and               The provisions in the final rule                      (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206).1
                                                                                                     amending the intended use regulations                    The rule was published with an
                                             Drug Administration, 10903 New
                                                                                                     were modified from the proposed rule                  effective date of February 8, 2017. On
                                             Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 32, Rm. 4238,
                                                                                                     because of comments we received that                  February 7, 2017, in accordance with
                                             Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301–796–
                                                                                                     suggested to us that the proposed                     the memorandum of January 20, 2017,
                                             8828.
                                                                                                     changes might not provide adequate                    from the Assistant to the President and
                                             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              clarity to manufacturers (see 82 FR 2193              Chief of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory
                                                                                                     at 2207). Some comments appeared to                   Freeze Pending Review,’’ FDA delayed
                                             I. Background                                                                                                 the effective date of the rule until March
                                                                                                     misunderstand the limited scope of
                                                In the Federal Register of September                 what FDA intended by the proposal,                    21, 2017 (82 FR 9501).
                                             25, 2015 (80 FR 57756), FDA issued a                    interpreting the proposal as signifying               II. Rationale and Good Cause for a
                                             proposed rule entitled ‘‘Clarification of               that FDA intended to eliminate                        Further Delay of the Effective Date of
                                             When Products Made or Derived From                      manufacturer knowledge altogether as a                the Final Rule
                                             Tobacco Are Regulated as Drugs,                         source of evidence of intended use (see
                                                                                                     82 FR 2193 at 2206). In addition, some                   FDA has decided to delay the
                                             Devices, or Combination Products;
                                                                                                     comments requested that FDA narrow                    effective date for the final rule from
                                             Amendments to Regulations Regarding
                                                                                                     the scope of evidence relevant to                     March 21, 2017, until March 19, 2018.
                                             ‘Intended Uses.’ ’’ This notice of
                                                                                                                                                           To the extent that 5 U.S.C. 553 applies
                                             proposed rulemaking proposed a new                      determining intended use in ways
                                                                                                                                                           to the delay of effective date from March
                                             regulation (proposed 21 CFR 1100.5) to                  inconsistent with FDA’s longstanding
                                                                                                                                                           21, 2017, until March 19, 2018, the
                                             describe the circumstances in which a                   position—for example, by removing
                                                                                                                                                           action is exempt from notice and
                                             product made or derived from tobacco                    manufacturer knowledge entirely from
                                                                                                                                                           comment because it constitutes a rule of
                                             that is intended for human consumption                  the types of evidence that may be
                                                                                                                                                           procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).
                                             will be subject to regulation as a drug,                considered in determining a product’s                    Alternatively, FDA’s implementation
                                             device, or a combination product under                  intended use or by limiting evidence of               of this action without opportunity for
                                             the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic                    intended use to a manufacturer’s                      public comment, effective immediately
                                             Act (the FD&C Act). The proposed rule                   promotional claims (see 82 FR 2193 at                 upon publication in the Federal
                                             also proposed certain changes to FDA’s                  2206–2208)—further indicating                         Register, is based on the good cause
                                             existing regulations describing the types               potential misunderstanding of, and a                  exceptions in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and
                                             of evidence that may be considered in                   lack of clarity with respect to, the                  (d)(3). Good cause exists to delay the
                                             determining a medical product’s                         proposed rule.                                        prior rule without comment because the
                                             intended uses (see 21 CFR 201.128                          In issuing the amendments to the                   delay will ensure that the public is
                                             (drugs) and 21 CFR 801.4 (devices)).                    intended use regulations in the final                 given an opportunity to comment on the
                                             These amendments were intended to                       rule, FDA’s goal remained the same as                 final language that FDA included in the
                                             clarify FDA’s existing interpretation and               it had intended in the proposed rule: To              underlying final rule. A petition raising
                                             application of these regulations (see 80                clarify that FDA would not regard a firm              concerns with the final language was
                                             FR 57756 at 57761). Specifically, the                   as intending an unapproved new use for                submitted by various industry
                                             amendments were intended to clarify                     an approved or cleared drug or device                 organizations on February 8, 2017
                                             that FDA would not regard a firm as                     based solely on that firm’s knowledge                 (‘‘petition’’ and ‘‘petitioners’’).2 The
                                             intending an unapproved new use for an                  that its product was being prescribed or              petition requests that FDA reconsider
                                             approved or cleared drug or device                      used by healthcare providers for such                 the amendments to the ‘‘intended use’’
                                             based solely on that firm’s knowledge                   use (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206–07).                      regulations and promulgate a new final
                                             that its product was being prescribed or                Because of the comments described                     rule that, with respect to the intended
                                             used by doctors for such use (see 80 FR                 above, FDA decided that its clarification             use regulations at §§ 201.128 and 801.4,
                                             57756 at 57761). FDA proposed to                        goals would be better achieved by                     reverts to the language of the September
                                             delete the last sentence of the intended                amending the last sentence of each                    25, 2015, proposed rule. The petition
                                             use regulations to provide this                         intended use regulation, rather than by               also requests that FDA indefinitely stay
                                             clarification, in addition to some other                deleting the sentences, and we revised                the rule.
                                             changes.                                                the regulations accordingly (see 82 FR                   Petitioners ask that the final rule be
                                                The proposed amendments to the                       2193 at 2206). The revised language was               stayed indefinitely and reconsidered for
                                             existing intended use regulations were                  intended to achieve the goal described
                                             not intended to reflect a change in                     in the proposed rule, by amending the                   1 In the final rule, FDA also stated that the

                                             FDA’s approach regarding evidence of                    last sentence so that it no longer                    amendments were not intended to change or
                                                                                                                                                           override FDA’s existing guidance and ongoing
                                             intended use for drugs and devices:                     suggests that a manufacturer’s mere                   proceedings regarding manufacturer
                                             FDA’s longstanding position is that, in                 knowledge that its approved or cleared                communications regarding unapproved uses of
                                             determining a product’s intended use,                   product was being prescribed or used                  approved or cleared products (see 82 FR 2193 at
                                             FDA may look to any relevant source of                  for an unapproved use would, on its                   2209–2210).
                                                                                                                                                             2 See February 8, 2017 petition submitted by
                                             evidence (see 80 FR 57756 at 57757)                     own, be sufficient to establish a new
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                                                                                                                                                           Ropes & Gray and Sidley Austin LLP on behalf of
                                             (the product’s labeling, promotional                    intended use (see 82 FR 2193 at 2206).                the Medical Information Working Group, the
                                             claims, and advertising, oral or written                The revised sentence was also intended                Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
                                             statements by a manufacturer or its                     to embody FDA’s longstanding position,                America, and the Biotechnology Innovation
                                                                                                                                                           Organization, available in Docket Nos. FDA–2011–
                                             representatives, circumstances                          discussed in the preamble to the                      P–0512, FDA–2013–P–1079, FDA–2015–N–2002,
                                             surrounding the distribution or sale of a               proposed rule, that intended use can be               and FDA–2016–N–1149 at https://
                                             product, and other relevant evidence).                  based on ‘‘any relevant source of                     www.regulations.gov.



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                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                             14321

                                             two independent reasons (petition at pg.                consider those comments.3 Moreover, to                   comments until midnight Eastern Time
                                             10). First, they argue that the final rule              the extent that petitioners (and/or                      at the end of May 19, 2017. Comments
                                             was promulgated in violation of the fair                others) misunderstood FDA’s intent in                    received by mail/hand delivery/courier
                                             notice requirement under the                            proposing the revisions to the intended                  (for written/paper submissions) will be
                                             Administrative Procedure Act (APA)                      use provisions, the new comment                          considered timely if they are
                                             (petition at pgs. 10–13). Second, they                  period should provide additional                         postmarked or the delivery service
                                             argue that the ‘‘totality of the evidence’’             opportunity to comment on FDA’s                          acceptance receipt is on or before that
                                             language in the final rule is a new and                 approach, including a fair opportunity                   date.
                                             unsupported legal standard (petition at                 to comment on the language chosen in                        We are interested in comments on the
                                             pgs. 10, 13–21). More specifically, the                 the final rule. This action should not be                petitioners’ views on the proper
                                             petitioners contend that the revisions to               construed to suggest that FDA has made                   interpretation of ‘‘intended use.’’ FDA
                                             the intended use regulations run                        any decisions about the substantive                      solicits comment on the appropriateness
                                             contrary to ‘‘the settled interpretation’’              arguments made in the petition.                          of the various limitations suggested by
                                             of intended use (petition at pg. 2). They                  Seeking public comment on this delay                  petitioners, including limiting the
                                             describe that settled interpretation in                 of the effective date is impracticable,                  evidence that may be considered to
                                             various ways, including as limiting                     unnecessary, and contrary to the public                  establish a product’s intended use to the
                                             evidence of intended use to                             interest. The delay in the effective date                manufacturer’s or distributor’s
                                             ‘‘manufacturer’s claims,’’ ‘‘any relevant               until March 19, 2018, is necessary to                    promotional statements; requiring that a
                                             source of claims,’’ ‘‘labels on the drug or             give the public a fair opportunity to                    manufacturer make an explicit
                                             the ‘labeling’,’’ and ‘‘objective evidence              fully comment, and FDA the                               promotional claim before FDA may find
                                             in promoting, distributing, and selling                 opportunity to further evaluate and                      a new intended use; and allowing an
                                             the [medical product]’’ (petition at pgs.               consider the issues raised by the                        exception for relying on circumstantial
                                             2, 16, 17, 19) (emphases in original).                  petition in addition to any other                        evidence ‘‘only when its probative value
                                             Petitioners also state that, under existing             pertinent information or comments                        is sufficient to negate any explanation
                                             law, a ‘‘manufacturer must make an                      stakeholders submit to this docket                       other than the intended use of the
                                             explicit promotional claim before FDA                   regarding the final rule. Given the                      product as a drug or device’’ (petition at
                                             may find a new intended use’’ (petition                 imminence of the effective date, seeking                 pgs. 11, 19, 15) (emphasis in original).
                                             at pg. 19) (emphasis in original), and                  prior public comment on this delay                       We are also interested in comments on
                                             there is an exception for relying on                    would have been impracticable, as well                   the public health implications of
                                             circumstantial evidence ‘‘only when its                 as contrary to the public interest in the                limiting evidence of intended use as
                                             probative value is sufficient to negate                 orderly issuance and implementation of                   suggested by the petitioners, including
                                             any explanation other than the intended                 regulations. However, in accordance                      with respect to the exchange of valuable
                                             use of the product as a drug or device’’                with 21 CFR 10.40(e)(1), FDA will also                   scientific speech, or otherwise.
                                                                                                                                                                 As explained in the preambles to the
                                             (petition at pg. 15) (emphasis in                       accept comments for a period of 60 days
                                                                                                                                                              proposed and final rules: In determining
                                             original). The petitioners interpret the                on whether this rule delaying the
                                                                                                                                                              intended use, the consideration of
                                             proposed rule as acknowledging ‘‘key                    effective date should be modified or
                                                                                                                                                              evidence such as the circumstances
                                             limits’’ on the scope of intended use                   revoked.
                                                                                                                                                              surrounding the distribution of a
                                             (petition at pg. 7), and argue that under                  This action is being taken under
                                                                                                                                                              product, the known effects of a product
                                             the proposed rule, intended use would                   FDA’s authority under 21 CFR 10.35(a).
                                                                                                                                                              or substance, and/or the context in
                                             have turned solely on the                               The Commissioner of Food and Drugs
                                                                                                                                                              which the product is sold often ensures
                                             manufacturer’s promotional statements                   finds that this delay of the effective date              that firms that attempt to evade FDA’s
                                             (petition at pg. 11). The petitioners                   is in the public interest.                               medical product regulation by making
                                             contend that the final rule unexpectedly                                                                         no claims, or at least no explicit claims,
                                                                                                     III. Issues for Comment and
                                             expanded the understanding of                                                                                    about their products can be held
                                                                                                     Consideration
                                             intended use, and that adding the new                                                                            accountable (see 80 FR 57756 at 57757;
                                             final sentence referencing the ‘‘totality                  In addition to other comments, FDA
                                                                                                                                                              82 FR 2193 at 2196). A few examples of
                                             of the evidence’’ was a reversal of the                 is soliciting comments from interested
                                                                                                                                                              situations in which evidence of
                                             proposed rule that violates the APA’s                   persons in particular on the issues
                                                                                                                                                              intended use has been derived from
                                             notice-and-comment provisions                           raised in the petition. For ease of
                                                                                                                                                              sources other than explicit promotional
                                             (petition at pg. 11). Petitioners express               reference, these comments should be
                                                                                                                                                              claims are:
                                             the view that the wording used in the                   submitted to this existing public docket,                   • Persons distributing substances
                                             proposed rule would have helped to                      FDA–2015–N–2002. We request that any                     which are known to be used
                                             address substantial concerns they have                  additional data and information be                       recreationally to get high, such as
                                             regarding FDA’s intended use                            submitted to FDA by May 19, 2017 to                      Dextromethorphan (the active
                                             definitions, while the final rule                       allow us to fully consider it. Late,                     ingredient in some cough suppressants)
                                             exacerbates those concerns (petition at                 untimely filed comments will not be                      and Nitrous Oxide (which is a
                                             pg. 11). These concerns include                         considered. Electronic comments must                     prescription drug). See, e.g., United
                                             constitutional concerns (petition at pg.                be submitted on or before May 19, 2017.                  States v. Johnson, 471 F.3d 764, 765
                                             19–21), and public health concerns                      The https://www.regulations.gov                          (7th Cir. 2006); United States v.
                                             related to chilling valuable scientific                 electronic filing system will accept                     Schraud, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89231,
                                             speech (petition at pg. 21).                                                                                     3–6 (E.D. Mo. Dec. 4, 2007); United
                                                                                                        3 We also note that a related issue, manufacturers’
                                                These issues raised by the petition
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                                                                                                     communications about unapproved uses of                  States v. Travia, 180 F. Supp. 2d 115,
                                             and similar concerns provide good                       approved/cleared medical products, is currently the      119 (D.D.C. 2001); United States v. LA
                                             cause to extend to the effective date of                subject of a public docket with an open comment          Rush, 2:13-cr-00249, First Superseding
                                             the rule without comment on the                         period; extending the effective date and taking          Information (C.D. Cal. April 3, 2014).
                                                                                                     comment on the issues raised with respect to this
                                             extension, so as to receive full public
                                                                                                     final rule provides FDA with the opportunity for
                                                                                                                                                                 • Persons distributing synthetic
                                             comments on these underlying issues                     contemporaneous consideration and resolution of          drugs, such as synthetic marijuana,
                                             and afford us enough time to collect and                these related issues.                                    labeled as incense, potpourri, or bath


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                                             14322              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                             salts, and/or bearing the statement ‘‘not               relating to marketing and distribution;               where companies and individuals
                                             for human consumption.’’ See, e.g.,                     statements made in training sessions;                 distribute medical products and/or seek
                                             United States v. Carlson, 810 F.3d 544                  and admissions.                                       to import medical products without
                                             (8th Cir. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct.                  Evidence other than promotional                    explicit promotional claims as we
                                             102, 291, 292 (2016); United States v.                  claims has also been used to establish                evaluate whether to adopt any of
                                             Carlson, 12-cr-00305–DSD–LIB,                           that products offered for import into the             petitioners’ suggested approaches to
                                             Amended Superseding Indictment (D.                      United States without labeling or other               determining intended use?
                                             Minn. Sept. 11, 2013) and Court’s                       claims that identify them as a drug or                   2. What are the potential public
                                             Instructions to the Jury, (D. Minn. Oct.                device are in fact intended for use as a              health consequences, positive and
                                             8, 2013); United States v. Bowen, 14-cr-                drug or device, and are therefore subject             negative, that should be considered in
                                             00169–PAB, Indictment (D. Colo. May 5,                  to refusal if they fail to meet certain               evaluating whether to adopt any of
                                             2014) and Rule 11(c)(1)(A) and (B) Plea                 requirements for importing medical                    petitioners’ suggested approaches to
                                             Agreement and Statement of Facts                        products (see 21 U.S.C. 381(a)(3)). For               determining intended use? What other
                                             Relevant to Sentencing (D. Colo. Jan. 29,               example, the defendants in United                     policy considerations are relevant when
                                             2015).                                                  States v. Zeyid, 1:14-cr-0197, First                  assessing approaches to intended use?
                                                • Persons distributing imitation drugs               Superseding Indictment (N.D. Ga. June                    3. To the extent that your comment
                                             claimed to be incense or dietary                        24, 2014) (see also https://                          cites to First Amendment considerations
                                             supplements, such as imitation cocaine                  www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/atlanta-                 as the legal rationale underlying your
                                             or imitation Ecstasy. See, e.g., United                 man-convicted-illegally-importing-and-                recommendations, how (if at all) do
                                             States v. Storage Spaces Designated                     distributing-male-enhancement-                        those considerations apply to the use of
                                             Nos. ‘‘8’’ & ‘‘49’’, 777 F.2d 1363, 1366                products), imported products containing               non-speech evidence in determining
                                             (9th Cir. 1985); United States v.                       active ingredients that were the same as              intended use, such as the circumstances
                                             Undetermined Quantities of . . . Street                 those used in prescription drugs but that             surrounding the distribution of a
                                             Drug Alternatives, 145 F. Supp. 2d 692                  were labeled as ‘‘tea,’’ ‘‘coffee,’’ and              product or the context in which it is
                                             (D. Md. 2001).                                          ‘‘beauty products.’’ Another example of               sold?
                                                • Persons distributing products                      a setting where FDA commonly relies                      4. In light of the petitioners’ concerns
                                             containing the active ingredients in                    on non-promotional information in                     about the language in the final rule, do
                                             prescription drugs, such as VIAGRA,                     determining intended use is when                      stakeholders believe there is a
                                             CIALIS, LEVITRA, or BOTOX, as less                      evaluating whether research studies                   distinction between considering ‘‘any
                                             expensive alternatives to the approved                  involving human subjects must be                      relevant source of evidence’’ and ‘‘the
                                             products, with labeling that states that                conducted under an investigational new                totality of evidence’’? Do stakeholders
                                             they are ‘‘all natural’’ or ‘‘herbal’’                  drug application or investigational                   have suggestions about what wording
                                             supplements or ‘‘for research only.’’ See,              device exemption (see 21 CFR parts 312                provides the most clarity to regulated
                                             e.g., United States v. Dessart, 823 F.3d                and 812). For example, FDA commonly                   entities?
                                             395 (7th Cir. 2016); United States v.                   evaluates materials such as research                     These questions are not meant to be
                                             Zeyid, 1:14-cr-0197, First Superseding                  protocols in determining whether                      exhaustive; we are also interested in any
                                             Indictment (N.D. Ga. June 24, 2014) (see                studies of products that are marketed as              other pertinent comments or
                                             also https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/                 dietary supplements, conventional                     information stakeholders would like to
                                             pr/atlanta-man-convicted-illegally-                     foods, or cosmetics are evaluating such               share regarding the final rule, including
                                             importing-and-distributing-male-                        products for use as drugs and are                     whether there are other approaches to
                                             enhancement-products); United States                    therefore subject to the investigational              ‘‘intended use’’ that FDA should
                                             v. Livdahl, 459 F. Supp. 2d 1255, 1260                  new drug application requirements                     consider. Please note that, as mentioned
                                             (S.D. Fla. 2005).                                       under part 312. Non-promotional                       in the final rule (see 82 FR 2193 at
                                                • Other instances where a person’s                   information regarding the purpose of the              2209), FDA is currently engaged in a
                                             claims about the intended use of a                      research is relevant to establishing                  comprehensive review of its regulations
                                             product are belied by the person’s                      whether the product should be                         and policies governing firms’
                                             activities or non-promotional statements                considered a drug for the purpose of the              communications about unapproved uses
                                             or by circumstantial evidence. See, e.g.,               investigation.                                        of approved/cleared medical products,
                                             United States v. An Article of Device                      With respect to the petitioners’                   and has established a separate public
                                             Toftness Radiation Detector, 731 F.2d                   suggested approaches to: (1) Limit the                docket to receive written comments on
                                             1253, 1257 (7th Cir. 1984); United States               evidence relevant to determining the                  that topic (see 81 FR 60299, September
                                             v. 789 Cases of Latex Surgeons’ Gloves,                 intended use of a medical product to                  1, 2016, available at: http://
                                             799 F. Supp. 1275, 1294–1295 (D.P.R.                    promotional claims; (2) require that a                www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Meetings
                                             1992).                                                  manufacturer make an explicit                         ConferencesWorkshops/
                                                In these situations, the evidence                    promotional claim before FDA may find                 ucm489499.htm). As part of that
                                             relied on has included general                          a new intended use; and/or (3) allow an               separate proceeding, FDA is seeking
                                             knowledge of actual use by customers to                 exception for relying on circumstantial               input on a number of questions (see 81
                                             get high or to achieve some other mind-                 evidence ‘‘only when its probative value              FR 60299 at 60302–60303). To the
                                             altering effect; the known effects of a                 is sufficient to negate any explanation               extent the commenters wish to provide
                                             product or substance; implied claims                    other than the intended use of the                    feedback on those questions rather than
                                             from using names that sound similar to                  product as a drug or device,’’ and in                 on the issues addressed here, that
                                             the names of controlled substances; the                 light of the background described above               feedback should be submitted to that
                                             circumstances surrounding the sale                                                                            separate docket, which is open until
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                                                                                                     regarding situations in which evidence
                                             (e.g., a rock concert venue; receiving the              of intended use has been derived from                 April 19, 2017; however, we encourage
                                             product in bulk and repackaging into                    sources other than explicit promotional               commenters to submit to this docket
                                             smaller plastic bags; the use of private                claims, we are particularly interested in             their feedback on issues addressed in
                                             email addresses; the absence of                         comments on the following questions:                  the separate docket to the extent that the
                                             labeling); shipping orders, other                          1. How should FDA consider                         feedback may also be pertinent to the
                                             correspondence, and memoranda                           situations such as those outlined above               final rule (including the preamble),


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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                                                                                            14323

                                             ‘‘intended use,’’ and/or the specific                                                The Regulatory Flexibility Act                                                        This final rule will not result in an
                                             issues raised herein.                                                             requires us to analyze regulatory options                                                expenditure in any year that meets or
                                             IV. Economic Analysis of Impacts                                                  that would minimize any significant                                                      exceeds this amount.
                                                                                                                               impact of a rule on small entities.                                                         We will delay the effective date of the
                                                We have examined the impacts of the                                            Because the clarifications in this final
                                             final rule under Executive Order 12866,                                                                                                                                    final rule by 1 year. As shown in table
                                                                                                                               rule will not significantly increase costs                                               1, this action will generate a cost
                                             Executive Order 13563, Executive Order                                            on manufacturers of products made or
                                             13771, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5                                                                                                                                   savings of $112,865 in one-time costs
                                                                                                                               derived from tobacco, we certify that the                                                with a 7 percent discount rate and a cost
                                             U.S.C. 601–612), and the Unfunded                                                 final rule will not have a significant
                                             Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L.                                                                                                                                       savings of $50,249 in one-time costs
                                                                                                                               economic impact on a substantial                                                         with a 3 percent discount rate.
                                             104–4). Executive Orders 12866 and                                                number of small entities.
                                             13563 direct us to assess all costs and                                                                                                                                    Annualized over 10 years, a 1-year delay
                                             benefits of available regulatory                                                     The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act                                                      will save $16,069 with a 7 percent
                                             alternatives and, when regulation is                                              of 1995 (section 202(a)) requires us to                                                  discount rate and $5,891 with a 3
                                             necessary, to select regulatory                                                   prepare a written statement, which                                                       percent discount rate. We expect that
                                             approaches that maximize net benefits                                             includes an assessment of anticipated                                                    the final rule will reduce regulatory
                                             (including potential economic,                                                    costs and benefits, before issuing ‘‘any                                                 ambiguity and uncertainty, and, thus,
                                             environmental, public health and safety,                                          rule that includes any Federal mandate                                                   reduce the regulatory and compliance
                                             and other advantages; distributive                                                that may result in the expenditure by                                                    burdens associated with such
                                             impacts; and equity). We have                                                     State, local, and tribal governments, in                                                 ambiguity. Although we did not
                                             developed a comprehensive Economic                                                the aggregate, or by the private sector, of                                              quantify these benefits, we anticipate
                                             Analysis of Impacts that assesses the                                             $100,000,000 or more (adjusted                                                           that delaying the effective date will
                                             impacts of the final rule. We believe that                                        annually for inflation) in any one year.’’                                               reduce the benefits by a similar
                                             this final rule is not a significant                                              The current threshold after adjustment                                                   magnitude as the cost savings. For any
                                             regulatory action as defined by                                                   for inflation is $146 million, using the                                                 final rule issued during or after the 1-
                                             Executive Order 12866 and Executive                                               most current (2015) Implicit Price                                                       year delay, we will analyze the impacts
                                             Order 13771.                                                                      Deflator for the Gross Domestic Product.                                                 of such a rule.

                                                     TABLE 1—TOTAL ONE-TIME COST SAVINGS FROM A 1-YEAR DELAY OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE FINAL RULE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Annualized                                                     Annualized
                                                                                                                                                                                           Total                                                           Total
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       one-time                                                       one-time
                                                                                                                                                                                         one-time                                                        one-time
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      costs over                                                     costs over
                                                                                                                                                                                          costs at                                                        costs at
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      10 years at                                                    10 years at
                                                                                                                                                                                         7 percent                                                       3 percent
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       7 percent                                                      3 percent

                                             Costs with Compliance Date Unchanged ........................................................                                                 $1,725,225                         $245,633                    $1,725,225                    $202,249
                                             Costs with Compliance Date Delayed 1-Year .................................................                                                    1,612,360                          229,564                     1,674,976                     196,358
                                             Cost Savings ....................................................................................................                              (112,865)                          (16,069)                      (50,249)                     (5,891)



                                               Table 2 shows the revised estimate of
                                             costs and benefits with a 1-year delay of
                                             the effective date.
                                                                TABLE 2—ECONOMIC DATA WITH 1-YEAR EFFECTIVE DATE DELAY: COSTS AND BENEFITS STATEMENT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Units
                                                                                                                      Primary
                                                                      Category                                                               Low estimate               High estimate                                                                                                   Notes
                                                                                                                      estimate                                                                                                 Discount rate                    Period
                                                                                                                                                                                                     Year dollars                  (%)                         covered

                                                                                                                                                                  Benefits

                                             Annualized Monetized $millions/year ............                    ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         7     ........................

                                                                                                                 ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         3     ........................

                                             Annualized Quantified ...................................           ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         7     ........................

                                                                                                                 ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         3     ........................

                                             Qualitative .....................................................                   Reduce regulatory ambiguity                                       ........................   ........................    ........................

                                                                                                                                                                       Costs

                                             Annualized Monetized $millions/year ............                                 $0.230                     $0.118                      $0.341                       2014                              7               10 years
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                                                                                                                                0.196                      0.101                       0.292                       2014                             3               10 years

                                             Annualized Quantified ...................................           ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         7     ........................

                                                                                                                 ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................                         3     ........................

                                             Qualitative .....................................................   ........................   ........................    ........................   ........................   ........................    ........................




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                                             14324                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 52 / Monday, March 20, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                                    TABLE 2—ECONOMIC DATA WITH 1-YEAR EFFECTIVE DATE DELAY: COSTS AND BENEFITS STATEMENT—Continued
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Units
                                                                                                                        Primary
                                                                       Category                                                                Low estimate              High estimate                                                                                     Notes
                                                                                                                        estimate                                                                                               Discount rate          Period
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Year dollars                 (%)               covered

                                                                                                                                                                   Transfers

                                             Federal Annualized Monetized $millions/
                                               year ............................................................   ........................   ........................   ........................   ........................                7   ........................

                                                                                                                   ........................   ........................   ........................   ........................                3   ........................

                                             From/To .........................................................                                       From:                                                                         To:

                                             Other Annualized Monetized $millions/year                             ........................   ........................   ........................   ........................                7   ........................

                                                                                                                   ........................   ........................   ........................   ........................                3   ........................

                                             From/To .........................................................                                       From:                                                                         To:

                                             Effects
                                             State, Local or Tribal Government: No Effect
                                             Small Business: No effect
                                             Wages: No estimated effect
                                             Growth: No estimated effect



                                                The full analysis of economic impacts                                              Dated: March 16, 2017.                                                                Office of Policy, Mail code 1804, U.S.
                                             is available in the docket for this final                                           Leslie Kux,                                                                             Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
                                             rule (FDA–2015–N–2002) and at http://                                               Associate Commissioner for Policy.                                                      Pennsylvania Ave NW., Washington, DC
                                             www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Reports                                                        [FR Doc. 2017–05526 Filed 3–17–17; 8:45 am]                                             20460; (202) 564–1986; rees.sarah@
                                             ManualsForms/Reports/Economic                                                       BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         epa.gov.
                                             Analyses/default.htm.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:      On
                                             V. References                                                                                                                                                               January 26, 2017, EPA published a
                                                                                                                                 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                                                document in the Federal Register
                                               The following references are on                                                   AGENCY                                                                                  entitled ‘‘Delay of Effective Date for 30
                                             display in the Division of Dockets                                                                                                                                          Final Regulations Published by the
                                             Management (see ADDRESSES) and are                                                  40 CFR Parts 22, 51, 124, 171, 300, and                                                 Environmental Protection Agency
                                             available for viewing by interested                                                 770                                                                                     Between October 28, 2016 and January
                                             persons between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,                                                                                                                                          17, 2017’’ (82 FR 8499) (January 26
                                                                                                                                 [FRL–9960–28–OP]
                                             Monday through Friday; they are also                                                                                                                                        Document). In that document, EPA
                                             available electronically at https://                                                Further Delay of Effective Dates for                                                    delayed the effective dates of the five
                                             www.regulations.gov. FDA has verified                                               Five Final Regulations Published by                                                     regulations listed in the table below to
                                             the Web site addresses, as of the date                                              the Environmental Protection Agency                                                     March 21, 2017, as requested in the
                                             this document publishes in the Federal                                              Between December 12, 2016 and                                                           memorandum of January 20, 2017, from
                                             Register, but Web sites are subject to                                              January 17, 2017                                                                        the Assistant to the President and Chief
                                             change over time.                                                                                                                                                           of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory Freeze
                                                1. United States v. LA Rush, 2:13–cr–
                                                                                                                                 AGENCY:   Environmental Protection                                                      Pending Review’’ (January 20 Memo).
                                             00249, First Superseding Information (C.D.                                          Agency (EPA).                                                                           That memo directed the heads of
                                             Cal. April 3, 2014).                                                                ACTION: Final rule; further delay of                                                    Executive Departments and Agencies to
                                                2. United States v. Carlson, 12–cr–00305–                                        effective dates.                                                                        temporarily postpone for 60 days from
                                             DSD–LIB, Amended Superseding Indictment                                                                                                                                     the date of the January 20 Memo the
                                             (D. Minn. Sept. 11, 2013).                                                          SUMMARY:   In accordance with the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         effective dates of all regulations that had
                                                3. United States v. Carlson, 12–cr–00305–                                        Presidential directive as expressed in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         been published in the Federal Register
                                             DSD–LIB, Court’s Instructions to the Jury, (D.                                      the memorandum of January 20, 2017,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         but had not yet taken effect.
                                             Minn. Oct. 8, 2013).                                                                from the Assistant to the President and
                                                4. United States v. Bowen, 14–cr–00169–                                          Chief of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory                                                      The January 20 Memo also directs that
                                             PAB, Indictment (D. Colo. May 5, 2014).                                             Freeze Pending Review,’’ and the                                                        where appropriate and as permitted by
                                                5. United States v. Bowen, 14–cr–00169–                                          Federal Register document published                                                     applicable law, agencies should
                                             PAB, Rule 11(c)(1)(A) and (B) Plea                                                  by EPA on January 26, 2017, EPA is                                                      consider a rule to delay the effective
                                             Agreement and Statement of Facts Relevant
                                                                                                                                 further delaying the effective dates for                                                date for regulations beyond that 60-day
                                             to Sentencing (D. Colo. Jan. 29, 2015).                                                                                                                                     period. In this document, EPA is taking
                                                6. United States v. Zeyid, 1:14–cr–0197,
                                                                                                                                 the five regulations listed in the table
                                                                                                                                 below.                                                                                  action to further delay the effective
                                             First Superseding Indictment (N.D. Ga. June                                                                                                                                 dates for five regulations listed in the
                                             24, 2014).                                                                          DATES:  This regulation is effective                                                    table below until May 22, 2017. EPA is
                                                7. U.S. Department of Justice, ‘‘Atlanta                                         March 21, 2017. The effective date of                                                   taking this action to give recently
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                                             Man Convicted of Illegally Importing and                                            each regulation listed in the table below
                                             Distributing Male Enhancement Products
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         arrived Agency officials the opportunity
                                                                                                                                 is delayed to a new effective date of May                                               to learn more about these regulations
                                             from China’’, Feb. 16, 2017, available at
                                             https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/
                                                                                                                                 22, 2017.                                                                               and to decide whether they would like
                                             atlanta-man-convicted-illegally-importing-                                          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                                                        to conduct a substantive review of any
                                             and-distributing-male-enhancement-                                                  Sarah Rees, Director, Office of                                                         of those regulations. If Agency officials
                                             products.                                                                           Regulatory Policy and Management,                                                       decide to conduct a substantive review


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Document Created: 2017-03-18 01:11:10
Document Modified: 2017-03-18 01:11:10
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule; further delay of effective date; request for comments.
DatesEffective date: The effective date for the rule amending 21 CFR chapter 1 published at 82 FR 2193 on January 9, 2017, delayed at 82 FR 9501 on February 7, 2017, is further delayed until March 19, 2018.
ContactRobert Berlin, Office of Policy, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 32, Rm. 4238, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-8828.
FR Citation82 FR 14319 
RIN Number0910-AH19
CFR Citation21 CFR 1100
21 CFR 201
21 CFR 801

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